Patent ID: 8252582

Claim:
A disposable bioreactor comprising: a disposable container ( 12 ), at least one peripheral inflow line ( 14 , 16 ) for delivering a gas or liquid into the container ( 12 ) and at least one peripheral outflow line ( 18 ) for removing gas from the container ( 12 ), at least one sensor arrangement reversibly fitted outside the container ( 12 ) in at least the peripheral outflow line ( 18 ) that removes gas from the container for measuring a physical variable of a medium flowing through the respective peripheral line ( 14 , 16 , 18 ) of the bioreactor, the sensor arrangement comprising a sensor adaptor ( 28 ) defining an insert in the respective peripheral line ( 14 , 16 , 18 ) and having an inlet end communicating with an upstream part of the respective peripheral line, an outlet end communicating with a downstream part of the respective peripheral line and a through passage extending between the inlet and outlet ends configured for accommodating a flow of the medium therethrough, the sensor adaptor being formed from a material that is resistant to sterilization applied to the disposable container, the sensor adaptor ( 28 ) further being configured for releasably holding an electronic sensor arrangement ( 34 , 38 ; 42 ; 44 a , 44 b , 46 , 48 ) that measures characteristics of the medium flowing through the peripheral line ( 14 , 16 , 18 ) via an internal boundary surface ( 32 a , 32 b ; 40 ; 44 b ) of the sensor adaptor ( 28 ) while avoiding direct interaction between the electronic sensor arrangement ( 34 , 38 ; 42 ; 44 a , 44 b , 46 , 48 ) and the medium, the electronic sensor arrangement ( 34 , 38 ; 42 ; 44 a , 44 b , 46 , 48 ) comprising at least one of an infrared sensor ( 34 , 38 ), a temperature sensor ( 42 ) and an electrical current or electrical voltage sensor ( 44 a , 44 b ).