cultivated meat production . These devices control temperature and gas with accuracy down to +/ -0.3 %, and a deviation in repeatability of just +/ -0.1 %. Combined with possible flow control volumes as low as 0.005 litres per minute , this assures the accuracy required for large-scale cell production .
While a digital valve system helps to optimise this level of accuracy , it also increases control efficiency , important for scaling-up production while minimising cost . Typically , an industry-scale bioreactor features three or more mass flow controllers . Bürkert ’ s system maintains a central control unit that serves as a master over compliant devices , reducing cost and resources in installation and management . The mass flow controllers communicate via Bürkert ’ s EDIP digital network , which is based on CANopen , the predominant protocol in the automotive sector , chosen for its reliability .
Zeta , as well as development by the University of Queensland , has used Bürkert ’ s mass flow controllers to regulate cultivated meat production .
ensuring the correct inlet of gases such as oxygen , as well as the dissipation of carbon dioxide , and the maintenance of the necessary pH level . A sterile environment is also a prerequisite . Quality , quantity , and safety of production depend on hygiene - and future regulation will hinge on this too .
Valve control Central to gas and temperature control in cultivated meat production is the valve system . Zeta has developed a cultivated meat system in conjunction with Bürkert ’ s
flow control technology that optimises fermentation gas dosing . While companies like Zeta are pioneers in this new field , in many respects , the control technology is already well-established . The exact parameters of temperature and gas modulation to optimise cell yield are still in development . However , cultivated meat production is set to involve industrial-scale bioreactors , controlled by systems like those supplied today by Bürkert to the pharmaceutical sector .
Control valves are integral to both the initial cell filtration and separation phase , as well as fermentation , and precision is essential throughout . Zeta , as well as development by the University of Queensland , has used Bürkert ’ s mass flow controllers to regulate
Making the vision a reality
To ensure CIP protocols , material selection and design is fundamental . For hygienic applications , stainless steel is the benchmark , hence its prevalence in the pharmaceutical sector . While this is crucial for gas control , it ’ s equally important for temperature control , where steam is usually used to regulate a bioreactor . Painted carbon steel valves are sometimes offered as lower cost alternatives , but stainless steel is the de facto selection , thanks to its higher resistance to corrosion , smoother surface finish , and greater temperature tolerance .
The cultivated meat sector is on the brink of a distinct production increase , and this depends on the ability to transition from lab-scale to industrial-scale development . Valve modulation is integral , and while the precise control parameters are in development , the required technology base exists . Meanwhile , flow control manufacturers like Bürkert continue to fine-tune the process with innovators in this revolutionary new field .
For further information , please visit www . burkert . co . uk / en
Issue 65 PECM 95