Discover stories about the innovations and technology Alicat Scientific is making to help improve the world.
Battery vs hydrogen fuel cell vehicles While claims are made that focusing on either batteries or fuel cells is the only means by which to achieve mass market, industry trends increasingly show that battery-powered and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are most powerful in combination, with each particularly useful in different applications. Overview of batteries vs […]
Why supercritical CO2 is super cool CO2 is used in all kinds of industrial applications; for example, liquid CO2 is commonly used as a cooling agent and solid CO2 (dry ice) as a dairy preservative. Here, we focus on the industrial applications of supercritical CO2 (sCO2). What is sCO2? A supercritical fluid is one that […]
Introduction to hydrogen fuel cells Hydrogen fuel cells & how they work Fuel cells are a clean, emissions-free alternative to traditional combustion processes, and use hydrogen to generate energy via electrochemical reactions. These cells are made even more environmentally friendly when the hydrogen is produced via sustainable means. There are many variations in fuel cell […]
13 tools to use when planning for pharma scale-up 1. Plan for FDA approvals Only 12% of drugs that make it from the lab and into phase 1 clinical trials end up receiving FDA approval. However, planning for eventual pharma scale-up long before you receive approvals allows you to achieve commercial-scale production in the quickest […]
Should I switch to single-use bioreactors? Ten years ago, single-use bioreactor (SUB) vessels were limited in size, making them only practical for lab setups. However, Thermo Scientific is launching a 5,000 L single-use bioreactor and BioInno is already using a 6,000 L reactor. These reactors have much higher titers than even multiuse equipment did ten […]
Comparing the environmental impacts of single-use and stainless steel bioreactors Single-use plastics for consumer products have long been the bane of the environmental movement, with grocery bags and straws as obvious examples. Single-use plastics in bioprocessing, however, provide significant environmental advantages compared to the stainless steel alternatives. In addition to providing pharmaceutical companies with flexible, […]
Using fewer flow controllers for increased redundancy in bioreactor systems When uptime is crucial, redundancy can be built into systems to increase reliability and availability. Redundancy in bioreactor systems means more uninterrupted hours dedicated to development and production of biologics; and when issues inevitably appear, redundant systems are able to compensate with minimal disruption to […]
Monitor outgassed materials in bioreactor headspace for closed-loop system control Measuring outgassed material in the headspace of a bioreactor is a powerful tool for understanding the metabolic activity of your cell culture and the effectiveness of your bioreactor setup. While it is more resource intensive than simply measuring dissolved oxygen and pH, outgassing measurements ensure […]
Methods of leak checking SUBs to mitigate risk to operators and processes Single-use bioreactors (SUBs) are successfully capturing the attention of researchers and manufacturers, offering notable advantages over traditional bioreactors for their flexibility and lower cost. However, unlike multiuse stainless steel or glass vessels, single-use plastic vessels are susceptible to and must be checked for […]
5 considerations when purchasing a Coriolis mass flow meter Coriolis instruments are not only the most accurate way to measure mass flow, they also have a number of other unique capabilities. Here are five important points to consider as you decide if a Coriolis meter is the right choice for your application. 1. Want to […]