Abstract:
Methods and systems for easily replacing fluid disbursement devices used in a sanitary bioreactor are presented. The system includes a fluid disbursement device, a tube adapter, a wand adapter. The fluid disbursement device is fixed to the tube adapter. The tube adapter and wand adapter are essentially complementary and are releasably connected. The combined fluid disbursement device and tube adapter unit is easily replaceable during the cleaning and sterilization of the bioreactor. An O-ring, located in an O-ring grove, provides an impermeable boundary between the wand adapter and the tube adapter.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    This invention generally relates to replaceable fluid disbursement assemblies and quick disconnect couplings for use in systems with sanitary requirements, such as biological or pharmaceutical reactor vessels. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Many industrial processes in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries rely on specialized process vessels, called reactor vessels, where the underlying chemical and biological reactions take place. The reactor vessels can range from a few liters to nearly 1000 m 3  depending on the particular applications. Those applications include conventional chemical reactions, along with both aerobic and anaerobic biological processes. Specific examples of such reactions include the culture of yeast or fungi to make beer and other alcoholic drinks or the culture of animal cells or bacteria, to make particular chemicals, vitamins, and proteins. 
         [0005]    In addition to the reactor vessels, additional equipment and systems are required to deliver growth media, extract the final products, and dispose of waste products. In particular, many processes require the use of fluid disbursement elements, such as porous metal or ceramic spargers, to introduce liquids and/or gases into the reactor vessel in a controlled manner during the reaction process. The sparger is attached to the end of a tubular wand passing through the wall of the reactor vessel. The tubular wand is mounted in an access port on the side of the reactor vessel with a sanitary, leak-proof fitting known in the art such as a compression, Ingold™, Tri-Clover™, or other sanitary type fitting. Tri-Clover is a registered trademark of Alfa Laval, Inc. The liquid or gas flows from an external reservoir and into the interior of the reactor vessel, passing through the wand and the sparger. 
         [0006]    The interior of the reactor vessel generally must be cleaned and sterilized at the completion of a reaction cycle before the initiation of the next cycle. This is typically accomplished by withdrawing the wand and the attached fluid disbursement device from the reactor vessel. A second wand, with an attached spray ball, is inserted through which high pressure detergents or cleaning fluids can be injected into the reactor vessel. At the completion of the cleaning cycle, the spray ball is withdrawn. The original wand, with a new porous metal or ceramic sparger, is inserted back into the reactor vessel. A new sparger is generally required, as the small holes and other crevices in the sparger are difficult to clean. What follows is a sterilization cycle in which high temperature steam is injected into the wetted areas of the reactor systems including the tank. Steam is introduced through several port openings and in some cases through the sparger wand. 
         [0007]    In addition, the cleaning and sterilization requirement of biotechnology and pharmaceutical processes eliminates the use of threads and clamps as mounting devices within the reactor vessel. For example, the threads and other crevices found on standard connectors provide areas that cleaning fluids and sterilizing steam can not reach. This has generally resulted in the use of welds to attach the fluid disbursement devices to the wands that are inserted within the reactor vessel. The use of welded designs requires cutting and re-welding when it becomes necessary to remove a fluid disbursement device from a wand for replacement, for example between process cycles. In addition two wand assemblies are required, one for the sparger type device used during the process cycle and one for the spray ball device used during the cleaning process. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The invention provides replaceable fluid disbursement assemblies and quick disconnect couplings for use in systems with sanitary requirements, such as biological or pharmaceutical reactor vessels. 
         [0009]    Under one aspect of the invention a system for easily replacing fluid disbursement devices used in a sanitary bioreactor includes a fluid disbursement device, a tube adapter, a wand adapter. The fluid disbursement device is fixed to the tube adapter. The tube adapter and wand adapter are essentially complementary and are releasably connected. An O-ring, located in an O-ring grove, provides an impermeable boundary between the wand adapter and the tube adapter. The system further includes a fastener that passes through the wand adapter fastener hole and the tube adapter fastener hole to prevent the wand adapter and the tube adapter from separating during normal operation. The system may include wand adapter and tube adapter flanges. 
         [0010]    Under an additional aspect of the invention a sanitary quick disconnect coupling for use in a bioreactor includes a wand adapter having an interior surface defining an axially extending passage, an exterior surface containing an O-ring grove, and a fastener hole. The coupling further includes a tube adapter having an interior, and an exterior surface containing a fastener hole. The wand adapter and tube adapter are essentially complementary, and an O-ring located in the O-ring grove provides an impermeable boundary between the wand adapter and the tube adapter. The system further includes a fastener that passes through the wand adapter fastener hole and the tube adapter fastener hole to prevent the wand adapter and the tube adapter from separating during normal operation. 
         [0011]    These and other features will become readily apparent from the following detailed description where embodiments of the invention are shown and described by way of illustration. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    For a more complete understanding of various embodiments of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, partly in cross section, of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly installed within a reactor vessel in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is an elevation view, in cross section, of the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the tube adapter of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the wand adapter of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is an elevation view, in cross section, of the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is an elevation view, in cross section, of the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the tube adapter of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the wand adapter of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 13  is an elevation view, in cross section, of the sanitary quick disconnect coupling of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the tube adapter of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the wand adapter of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 16  is an elevation view, in cross section, of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 17  is an elevation view, in cross section, of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    Preferred embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for providing a quick disconnect coupling for fluid disbursement devices used in systems with sanitary requirements, such as biological or pharmaceutical reactor vessels. In an illustrative embodiment a fluid disbursement device, such as a sparger, is welded to a tube adapter. An essentially complimentary wand adapter is welded to the intake wand used to supply liquid or gas to a reactor vessel. An O-ring forms an impermeable seal between the wand adapter and the tube adapter. The invention allows the fluid disbursement device to be quickly disconnected from the intake wand and replaced. This is an improvement over the prior art, where the fluid disbursement device is welded to the intake wand, removal is difficult, and replacement requires additional welding. 
         [0031]    Additional advantages of the design include that the design of the wand tube adapter and tube adapter does not include threads or other crevices which are difficult to clean in between reaction cycles. The ability to quickly remove and replace the fluid disbursement device attached to the intake wand also means that only one intake wand is required. The device used to disburse liquid or gas during normal operation can be quickly replaced with a spray ball assembly, used to supply high pressure detergents or cleaning fluids, during the cleaning process in between operational cycles of the reactor. At the completion of the cleaning cycle, the spray ball assembly can be quickly replaced with a new fluid disbursement device for the next operational cycle, without requiring any welding. 
         [0032]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view, partly in cross section, of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  installed within a reactor vessel  101  in accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention. As discussed above, the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  is attached to a tubular wand  102 . The tubular wand  102  passes through the side of the reactor vessel  101 . During normal operation liquid or gas enters the tubular wand  102  through fluid inlet  103  and passes into the reactor vessel  101 . 
         [0033]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  attached to a wand adapter  201 . The replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  shown includes a tube adapter  202 , a solid end cap  205 , a porous tube  206 , and a solid tube extension  207 . The tube adapter  202  attaches to the wand adapter  201 , and is held in place with a hitch pin  203 . The wand adapter  201 , tube adapter  202 , and hitch pin  203  are collectively referred to as a sanitary quick disconnect coupling  204 . 
         [0034]    The wand adapter  201  and tube adapter  202  construction details, such as size and material, are a function of the underlying industrial process. For example, the selection of the wall material and thickness will depend on the temperature, pressure, and corrosion properties of the liquid or gas being injected and the properties inside the reactor vessel. Exemplary materials include Inconel®, Hastelloy®, and 316L stainless steel. Inconel is a registered trademark of Huntington Alloys Corporation. Hastelloy is a registered trademark of Haynes International, Inc. Additional materials include carbon steel, aluminum, and copper alloys. Additional details concerning the wand adapter  201  and tube adapter  202  are provided below in the discussion of  FIGS. 4 and 5  respectively. 
         [0035]    The inlet of the wand adapter  201  is joined to the end of the wand  102  that passes through the side of the reactor vessel, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The joint between the wand adapter  201  and the wand  102  is welded, or otherwise constructed, to be impermeable to the liquid or gas being injected into the reactor vessel. Likewise, the tube adapter  202  is joined to the solid tube  207 . The joint between the tube adapter  202  and the solid tube  207  is also welded, or otherwise constructed, to be impermeable to the liquid or gas being injected into the reactor vessel. Finally, when the tube adapter  202  and the wand adapter  201  are joined together, the connection is again impermeable. Additional details of this connection will be described in more detail below with respect to  FIG. 3 . This means that the only contact between the liquid or gas flowing from the exterior of the reactor vessel to the interior of the reactor vessel is through the porous tube  206 . 
         [0036]    The tube adapter  202  and wand adapter  201  are held together with a hitch pin  203 . The hitch pin  203  passes though holes in the flanges of the tube adapter  202  and the wand adapter  201 . The hitch pin  203  prevents the tube adapter  202  and the wand adapter  201  from separating as high pressure gas is injected through the wand and tube adapter assemblies into the reactor vessel. 
         [0037]    The replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  shown includes a tube adapter  202 , a solid end cap  205 , a porous tube  206 , and a solid tube extension  207 . Again, the construction details of the porous tube  206 , such as size and material, are well known in the industry and are, again, a function of the underlying industrial process. For example, the porous tube  206  can be manufactured of ceramic material or sintered metal. In addition, the assembly connected to the tube adapter  202  is not limited to tubular shapes and can include fabric candles, spray balls, or other types of fluid disbursement assemblies. The solid tube extension  207  is used to place the porous tube  206  at the proper location in the interior reactor vessel away from the vessel wall. Again, the particular distance will be a function of the underlying industrial process. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  is an elevation view, in cross section, of the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 3  again shows the wand adapter  201 , and the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100 , including the tube adapter  202 . In addition  FIG. 3  shows an O-ring  301 . The O-ring  301  is preferably any industry standard O-ring, but may also be a flat gasket or sleeve and bushing assembly. The selection of the material and thickness will depend on the temperature, pressure, and corrosion properties of the liquid or gas being injected and the properties inside the reactor vessel. The diameter of the O-ring  301  is dependent on the size of the wand adapter  201  and tube adapter  202 . The O-ring  301  is placed between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202 , completely surrounding the perimeter of the wand adaptor  201 . The O-ring  301  forms an impermeable boundary between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202 . This means that the only contact between the liquid or gas flowing from the exterior of the reactor vessel to the interior of the reactor vessel is through the porous tube  206 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the wand adapter  201  of  FIG. 2 . The wand adapter  201  includes a wand adapter flange  401 , a wand adapter fastener hole  402 , a wand adapter outlet  403 , a wand adapter inlet  404 , and an O-ring groove  405 . As noted above, the wand adapter  201  construction details, such as size and material, are a function of the underlying industrial process. For example, the selection of the wall material and thickness will depend on the temperature, pressure, and corrosion properties of the liquid or gas being injected and the properties inside the reactor vessel. Exemplary materials include Inconel®, Hastelloy®, and 316L stainless steel. Inconel is a registered trademark of Huntington Alloys Corporation. Hastelloy is a registered trademark of Haynes International, Inc. Additional materials include carbon steel, aluminum, and copper alloys. 
         [0040]    In an exemplary embodiment, the wand adapter  201  is 1.2 inches long and is constructed of electropolished 316L stainless steel, with a surface finish roughness average of at least 20 Ra. The wand adapter flange  401  is 0.14 inches thick and has an outer diameter of 1 and ⅜ inches. The wand adapter fastener hole  402  has a diameter of 0.13 inches. The wand adapter outlet  403  is 0.69 inches long with an inner diameter of 0.37 inches and an outer diameter of 0.623 inches. The wand adapter inlet  404  is 0.37 inches long with an inner diameter of 0.37 inches and an outer diameter of 0.5 inches. The O-ring groove  405  is 0.14 inches wide and 0.08 inches deep. 
         [0041]    The wand adapter flange  401  provides structural support when placed against the corresponding tube adapter flange. In addition the wand adapter flange  401  provides a suitable location for the wand adapter fastener hole  402 . The wand adapter outlet  403  and wand adapter inlet  404  allow the process liquid or gas to flow from the wand  101 , through the wand adapter  201 , and to the interior of the tube adapter  202 . The O-ring groove  405  holds O-ring  301  in place, thus forming an impermeable seal between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the tube adapter  202  of  FIG. 2 . The tube adapter  202  includes a tube adapter flange  501 , a tube adapter fastener hole  502 , and a tube adapter opening  503 . As noted above, the tube adapter  202  construction details, such as size and material, are a function of the underlying industrial process. For example, the selection of the wall material and thickness will depend on the temperature, pressure, and corrosion properties of the liquid or gas being injected and the properties inside the reactor vessel. Exemplary materials include Inconel®, Hastelloy®, and 316 stainless steel. Inconel is a registered trademark of Huntington Alloys Corporation. Hastelloy is a registered trademark of Haynes International, Inc. Additional materials include carbon steel, aluminum, and copper alloys. 
         [0043]    In an exemplary embodiment, the tube adapter  202  is 1.0 inches long and is constructed of electropolished 316L stainless steel, with a surface finish roughness average of at least 20 Ra. The tube adapter flange  501  is 0.20 inches thick and has an outer diameter of 1 and ⅜ inches. The tube adapter fastener hole  502  has a diameter of 0.13 inches. The tube adapter outlet  503  is 0.80 inches long with an inner diameter of 0.625 inches and an outer diameter of 0.75 inches. 
         [0044]    The tube adapter outlet  503  runs the entire axial distance of the tube adapter  202 . The inner diameter of the tube adapter outlet  503  is sized (0.625 inches in diameter) such that the wand adapter outlet  403  (0.623 inches in diameter) just fits. Thus the tube adapter  202  fits around the wand adapter  201 . The O-ring  301 , as mentioned above, forms an impermeable seal between the interior of the wand and tube adapters and the interior of the reactor vessel. This allows the process gas or fluid to flow from the wand adapter  201 , through the tube adapter  202 , to the interior of the porous tube  206 , and then into the interior of the reactor vessel  101 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  in accordance another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the wand adapter fastener hole  402  and tube adapter fastener hole  502  are now aligned axially with the wand adapter  201  and tube adaptor  202 . Also, the hitch pin  203  has been replaced with a C-ring  601 . This variation allows for easier machining of the wand adapter flange  401  and tube adapter flange  501 . The design choices between axially or transverse fastener hole locations and the use of a hitch pin  203  or C-ring  601  are influenced by the underlying industrial process, the reactor vessel design, and the particular placement of the wand adapters  201  within the reactor vessel. For example, in cases where the wand adapter  201  is placed near other elements within a reactor vessel, there may not be enough space to allow a hitch pin  203  to be inserted in the transverse direction. 
         [0046]      FIG. 7  is an elevation view, in cross section, of the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  of  FIG. 6 . This figure shows the wand adapter fastener hole  402  and tube adapter fastener hole  502  axially aligned with the wand adapter  201  and tube adapter  202 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the wand adapter flange  401  and tube adaptor flange  501  are eliminated. The wand adapter fastener hole  402  and tube adapter fastener hole  502  are now located in the side walls of the wand adapter  201  and tube adaptor  202 . This implementation requires that the side walls be of sufficient thickness to support the forces on the hitch pin  203 , in addition to the usual forces applied due to the pressure of the liquid or gas being injected and the properties inside the reactor vessel. 
         [0048]      FIG. 9  is an elevation view, in cross section, of the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  of  FIG. 8 . The O-ring  301  is again placed between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202 . The wand and tube adapter fastener holes are located on the reactor vessel side of the O-ring  301  and the O-ring  301  still forms an impermeable seal between incoming liquid or gas and the interior of the reactor vessel. Thus the incoming gas or fluid must enter the reactor vessel through the porous tube  206 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the wand adapter  201  of  FIG. 8 . As noted above, the wand adapter flange  401  is eliminated. The wand adapter fastener hole  402  is now placed through the side wall of the wand adapter  201 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the tube adapter  202  of  FIG. 8 . As noted above, the tube adaptor flange  501  is eliminated. The tube adapter fastener hole  502  is now placed through the side wall of tube adaptor  202 . 
         [0051]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the wand adapter fastener hole  402  and tube adapter fastener hole  502  are again aligned axially with the wand adapter  201  and tube adaptor  202 , as described in  FIG. 6  above. However, unlike  FIG. 6 , a hitch pin  203  is used, rather than a C-ring  601 . As noted above, the design choices between axially or transverse fastener hole locations and the use of a hitch pin  203  or a C-ring  601  are influenced by the underlying industrial process, the reactor vessel design, and the particular placement of the wand adapters  201  and tube adapters  202  within the reactor vessel. 
         [0052]      FIG. 12  additionally shows the tube adapter flange  501  constructed with two opposing flat edges. This allows for wrenches and other standard tools to be used when installing, or replacing fluid disbursement assemblies. 
         [0053]      FIG. 13  is an elevation view, in cross section, of the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  of  FIG. 12 . In this embodiment, the O-ring  301  is in a different location than that shown in  FIG. 7 . The O-ring  301  is located between the wand adapter flange  401  and the tube adaptor flange  501 . This decreases the wetted area between the wand adapter flange  401  and the tube adaptor flange  501  exposed to the interior of the reactor vessel at the expense of a larger diameter O-ring  301 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the wand adapter  201  of  FIG. 12 . Like the wand adapters  201  described previously, the wand adapter  201  includes a wand adapter flange  401 , a wand adapter fastener hole  402 , a wand adapter outlet  403 , a wand adapter inlet  404 , and an O-ring groove  405 . In addition,  FIG. 14  shows a wand adapter interlock  1401 . This wand adapter interlock  1401  is required due to the location of the O-ring groove  405  between the wand adapter flange  401  and the tube adaptor flange  501 . Any axial movement between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202  could break the impermeable barrier formed by O-ring  301 , by creating additional space between the two flanges. 
         [0055]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the tube adapter  202  of  FIG. 12 . Like the tube adapters  202  described preciously, the tube adapter  202  includes a tube adapter flange  501 , a tube adapter fastener hole  502 , and a tube adapter opening  503 . In addition,  FIG. 15  shows a tube adapter interlock  1501 . As noted above, due to the placement of O-ring  301 , any axial movement between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202  could break the impermeable barrier formed by O-ring  301 . The tube adapter interlock  1501  mates with the wand adapter interlock  1401  to prevent such movement. During installation of the fluid disbursement assembly  100  and the tube adapter  202  on the wand adapter  201 , the tube adapter  202  is rotated such that the protrusions on the wand adapter interlock  1401  engage groves in the tube adapter interlock  1501 . The hitch pin  203  is inserted through the fastener holes  402  and  502  to prevent the rotation of the tube adapter  202  after installation. 
         [0056]      FIG. 16  is an elevation view, in cross section, of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the wand adapter fastener hole  402  and tube adapter fastener hole  502  have been eliminated. Unlike embodiments described previously, the inner diameter (ID) of the tube adapter  202  is not constant along the axial length of the tube adapter  202 . As shown in Detail A, the inner diameter of the tube adapter  202  is smaller at the inlet and larger at the outlet. This change in diameter forms a lip which interlocks with the O-ring  301 . During installation of the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100 , the O-ring  301  is compressed by the inner diameter lip. Once the lip clears the O-ring  301 , the O-ring  301  expands and forms an impermeable boundary between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202 . This means that the only contact between the liquid or gas flowing from the exterior of the reactor vessel to the interior of the reactor vessel is through the porous tube  206 . 
         [0057]    As discussed above the O-ring  301  is preferably any industry standard O-ring where the selection of the material and thickness will depend on the temperature, pressure, and corrosion properties of the liquid or gas being injected and the properties inside the reactor vessel. The diameter of the O-ring  301  is dependent on the size of the wand adapter  201  and tube adapter  202 . In addition, the O-ring  301  material must be sufficiently stiff to prevent the fluid disbursement assembly  100  from sliding off the wand adapter  201 . Like previous embodiments, the O-ring  301  is placed between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202 , completely surrounding the perimeter of the wand adaptor  201 . The O-ring  301  forms an impermeable boundary between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202 . This means that the only contact between the liquid or gas flowing from the exterior of the reactor vessel to the interior of the reactor vessel is through the porous tube  206 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 17  is an elevation view, in cross section, of a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100  in accordance with another embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the wand adapter fastener hole  402  and tube adapter fastener hole  502  have been eliminated. Like embodiments described previously, the inner diameter (ID) of the tube adapter  202  is essentially constant along the axial length of the tube adapter  202 . However, as shown in Detail B, the tube adapter  202  has an O-ring groove. The tube adapter O-ring grove is aligned with the wand adapter O-ring groove. During installation of the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly  100 , the O-ring  301  is compressed by the inner diameter lip. Once the lip clears the O-ring  301 , the O-ring  301  expands and forms an impermeable boundary between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202 . This means that the only contact between the liquid or gas flowing from the exterior of the reactor vessel to the interior of the reactor vessel is through the porous tube  206 . 
         [0059]    The O-ring  301  shown in  FIG. 17 , as discussed above, is preferably any industry standard O-ring where the selection of the material and thickness will depend on the temperature, pressure, and corrosion properties of the liquid or gas being injected and the properties inside the reactor vessel. The diameter of the O-ring  301  is dependent on the size of the wand adapter  201  and tube adapter  202 . In addition, the O-ring  301  material must be sufficiently stiff to prevent the fluid disbursement assembly  100  from sliding off the wand adapter  201 . Like previous embodiments, the O-ring  301  is placed between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202 , completely surrounding the perimeter of the wand adaptor  201 . The O-ring  301  forms an impermeable boundary between the wand adapter  201  and the tube adapter  202 . This means that the only contact between the liquid or gas flowing from the exterior of the reactor vessel to the interior of the reactor vessel is through the porous tube  206 . 
         [0060]    As described above, preferred embodiments of the invention provide methods and systems for providing a replaceable fluid disbursement assembly used in systems with sanitary requirements, such as biological or pharmaceutical reactor vessels. The methods and systems do not require a weld between the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly and the intake wand of the reactor vessel. As such, the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly can be quickly disconnected from the intake wand of the reactor vessel. In addition, the O-ring seal can be disposed of and replaced with a new seal at the same time. The ability to quickly remove and replace the fluid disbursement assembly attached to the intake wand also means that only one intake wand is required for both the operational cycles and the cleaning process in between the operational cycles. 
         [0061]    In some embodiments, compressive force between the O-ring seal and the wand adapter and tube adapter holds the replaceable fluid disbursement assembly in place. In other embodiments a hitch pin, or other similar device, is used to provide a mechanical restraint and prevent the separation of the wand adapter and the tube adapter. Therefore, the wand and tube adapters do not have threads or other crevices which are difficult to clean in between reaction cycles. In addition, the hitch pin itself is not threaded. This satisfies the sanitary requirements of the underlying biological or pharmaceutical reaction process. 
         [0062]    While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, the description is illustrative of the invention and in not to be construed as limiting. The invention is applicable to any application which cleaning in place or high purity requirements such as those in the food and beverage industry, chemical manufacturing, or semiconductor manufacturing.