Product category:
Mixers, Blenders, Grinders and Mills
News Release from: Alfa Laval | Subject: Hynetics
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 27 December 2005
Disposable mixing bag system for life
sciences
Alfa Laval has introduced the Hynetics system, a new concept for manufacturing and mixing media and other sterile process liquids in a self-contained, sealed unit
Alfa Laval has introduced the Hynetics system, a new concept for manufacturing and mixing media and other sterile process liquids in a self-contained, sealed unit Since all product contact surfaces are completely disposable, the system offers the ultimate in sterile protection; eliminating the need for costly CIP or SIP associated with more conventional systems
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 12 Sep 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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The Hynetics system is intended to replace conventional tanks and other permanent vessels to provide in-situ formulation of products such as media, buffers, final formulations, intravenous solutions and homogenous solutions like adjuvanted vaccines.
Since it is self-contained and fully-enclosed, the system can be safely installed in unclassified production areas generally known as "grey space".
Developed jointly by Alfa Laval Biokinetics and Hyclone the system is protected by patents issued by the US Patent and Trademark Office in June 2005.
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Product is filled, mixed and formulated in disposable Bioprocessing Containers (BPC) - or bags.
The range encompasses capacities as small as 25 litres right up to 10,000 litres in size.
Since all contact surfaces are replaced at the end of each batch, it eliminates all risk of cross contamination between batches.
Equally, the fact that Cleaning In Place (CIP) or Sterilization in Place (SIP) between batches is no longer required drastically reduces chemical consumption and saves significant amounts of time.
Key to the system is a specially-developed mixing disc.
Made from rigid engineering plastic, it has multiple slots extending across its entire surface.
To the underside of these slots are attached simple film flaps which open as the disc moves upwards in the mixing bag, allowing fluid to flow through the slots.
The pumping action is reversed on the downward stroke when the flaps close and the energy in the system is directed towards the vessel's bottom and walls.
The turbulence created within the mixing unit literally pulls the powdered materials into the fluid stream, resulting in high levels of mixing efficiency.
This contrasts sharply with more conventional systems which use a combination of dumping and stirring to achieve the same effect.
The disposable BPC - or mixing bag - sits inside a special hexagonal holding vessel designed to promote turbulence at the corners to improve mixing efficiency.
This vessel also incorporates an angled bottom to facilitate filling while a door in the side wall enables the disposable bag to be located quickly and easily.
A drive shaft that translates rotational output from an electric motor into linear motion at the mixing head enables mixing speeds to be varied from 0 to 2Hz depending on the needs of the product being formulated.
Once mixed, the product is transferred to downstream processes via a peristaltic pump.
At the ends of each batch, the mixing disc, flaps, plastic mixing shaft and shaft cover - which attaches to the bag film - are all disposed of along with the bioprocess bags (BPCs) for powder feed and mixing.
The standard Hynetics range of mixing systems is designed to meet the most stringent regulatory requirements within the Life Science Industries and special variants can also be manufactured to meet specific product or process requirements.
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