Team:Cornell/notebook/drylab/week 10

Entry:

Manny and I spent the first few days of the week in the Emerson machine shop making caps and bodies for the bioreactors. We successfully press fitted the caps into the clear tube body and tested them for leaks. We screwed the luer locks into the caps after completely filling the reactors with water. We tried various orientations, and found to our satisfaction that everything was tightly sealed. However, when we tried to push water through the bioreactors using the micro-pumps, the pumps failed to overcome the water pressure. Disappointed, we began to look for stronger, more robust pumps to do the job.

We also encountered an issue with preventing leaks from the two graphite rods running through the front cap. To seal the cap holes for the rods, we drilled through the luer locks and ran the rods through after they were fitted with rubber sleeves. Water was able to seep through between the rubber and the plastic luer lock. As a solution, Dan and Manny attempted solder on a thin coating, but when that proved too difficult, melted the rubber and plastic to purge any gaps. Still, water was able to get through. Ultimately, Maneesh’s application of silicone sealant between the luer locks and graphite rods accomplished the objective.

Although there is still a lot to do before the system is ready to be deployed, everybody has worked diligently in their groups this summer. Thus, next week, many of us will be taking off to enjoy what little remains of the summer.

#bioreactor #leaks #vacation