190 mm alpha port compatibility is the first question an isolator engineer asks about a single-use beta bag, and the one that decides whether samples are worth ordering. The DELTAQUANT 190 mm Single-Use Beta Bag from DeltaQuant Lifesciences FZE is compatible with industry-standard 190 mm alpha ports. This article explains what that statement rests on, where the two flange versions differ, and what to check on your own port before anything ships.
What 190 mm means on the beta side
The bag is a flat pouch with a rigid round beta flange sandwiched into its face. The flange is high-temperature polycarbonate, made to Ø 190 ± 0.4 mm, with a flat cover of the same material facing outward. Between the cover and the flange sit a platinum-cured LIM silicone beta seal and a platinum-cured silicone O-ring. The pouch material extends above, below and to both sides of the flange, so when the bag is held by the flange it hangs flat, the long part of the pouch below the port and the short part above it.
Nothing else is attached: no tube, no container behind the flange, no second flange. The flange is the interface, and its diameter and tolerance are the two figures that matter for the fit. Both are on the Products page with the rest of the anatomy.
Standard or interlock chamfer
Two flange versions exist:
- Standard, for standard 190 mm alpha ports.
- Interlock-chamfer (IC), for chamfered alpha ports.
The difference is in the profile that engages the alpha port, not in the diameter. Both carry the same pouch, the same cover and the same seal. In Build Your Bag the port control shows a close-up of each profile on the flange, and the configuration code records the choice, for example Empty · indA · 10 L · Standard or Pre-loaded · indB · 25 L · IC · Stoppers.
If you are not sure which profile your port has, do not guess. Give the alpha port model on the request form, or name it to the transfer specialist in the chat, and engineering confirms the right flange before samples ship. We do not publish compatibility tables by port maker, and we ask for the model rather than the brand, because the chamfer is a property of the port, not of the name on it.
How the bag docks
The docking sequence is the same for both versions:
- The pouch is brought to the port flange-face forward, flat and parallel to the isolator wall.
- The flange engages the alpha port and the bag is turned a short way to lock. The alpha door and the beta cover become one plate.
- From inside the isolator the joined door swings inward. Contents pass through the open port, into or out of the pouch.
- The door closes, the bag turns back and comes away with its cover sealed again.
A docked bag hangs flat against the isolator wall around the port. The space in front of the port needs to allow the pouch to hang freely, which is one of the things to check on a crowded line.
What is tested
Compatibility is verified, not assumed. Three groups of tests cover the fit.
Docking
Alpha-port docking is tested by an in-house method with no barrier loss as the acceptance criterion. Multi-cycle docking uses the same method with up to 5 dockings as the criterion, which is why the bag is rated for up to 5 dockings.
Cover removal
The cover removal force is accepted at ≤ 30 N, so the joined door opens from inside the isolator without strain on the flange.
Barrier and leak
The microbial barrier of the porous face is tested to ASTM F1608 with an acceptance of LRV ≥ 4, and the flange of every bag is leak tested by pressure decay at 5 in. H₂O for 60 s before release.
A measured value is published only when a batch report carries it; until then the bench on Proof & Documents shows the criterion and says so. If your process needs a docking count beyond the rated up to 5, or a force figure for a specific configuration, the documentation set says what is covered and the figure comes with the batch report. No number on this site is given beyond that.
What to check before samples ship
- Port size. Confirm your alpha port is a 190 mm port. Custom sizes are available on request after an engineering review, but the standard flange is 190 mm.
- Port profile. Standard or chamfered. If unsure, send the alpha port model.
- Volume. 10 L or 25 L. The configurator shows the load limit for each volume; respect it when you plan what goes through the port.
- Variety. indA, supplied non-sterile for your own validated autoclave cycle, with a 3-year shelf life; or indB, supplied pre-sterilised by gamma at 25–40 kGy to SAL 10⁻⁶, with a 2-year shelf life. For indA, the autoclave cycle is one cycle at 121 °C for 30 min and the bag lies flat, porous face down, so plan the load pattern with the guidance document beside you.
- Dockings. Count the dockings one bag will see in your process. The bag is rated for up to 5.
- Line. Empty beta bags you fill yourself, or Pre-loaded beta bags with your components loaded in our ISO Class 7 cleanroom.
- Clearance. Room in front of the port for the pouch to hang flat, and room beside it for the operator to turn the flange to lock.
Beyond the standard flange
Custom sizes are handled as an engineering review, not as a catalogue entry. The "Custom size" control in the studio opens the transfer specialist with your configuration already briefed; from there the request goes to engineering with the port model and the volume you need. The only standard volumes are 10 L and 25 L, and the only standard flange is 190 mm.
In practice
A typical case for the compatibility check is a team introducing pre-sterilised components into a RABS through the alpha port. The reasoning for that use, with the recommended line, variety and volume, is on the components into RABS application page. The simplest compatibility check of all is a sample on your own port: request samples with the alpha port model on the form, and engineering confirms the flange before they ship.