BD FACSFlow Supply System User manual
23-11954-01
10/2020
For Research Use Only
Becton, Dickinson and Company
BD Biosciences
2350 Qume Drive
San Jose, CA 95131 USA
bdbiosciences.com
BD Biosciences
European Customer Support
Tel +32.53.720.600
help.biosc[email protected]om
BD FACSFlow™
Supply System
User’s Guide
For BD LSRFortessa™ Cytometers
Copyrights
© 2020, Becton, Dickinson and Company. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
transmitted, transcribed, stored in retrieval systems, or translated into any language or computer language, in
any form or by any means: electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise, without
prior written permission from BD Biosciences.
The information in this guide is subject to change without notice. BD Biosciences reserves the right to change
its products and services at any time to incorporate the latest technological developments. Although this guide
has been prepared with every precaution to ensure accuracy, BD Biosciences assumes no liability for any errors
or omissions, nor for any damages resulting from the application or use of this information. BD Biosciences
welcomes customer input on corrections and suggestions for improvement.
Trademarks
BD, the BD Logo, FACSClean, FACSFlow and LSRFortessa are trademarks of Becton, Dickinson and
Company or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. © 2020 BD. All
rights reserved.
Regulatory information
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
History
Revision Date Change made
23-11954-00 7/2013 Initial release for current BD LSRFortessa systems family.
23-11954-01 10/2020 Removed references of FACSRinse and added BD Detergent
Solution Concentrate in place of FACSRinse.
Contents
Chapter 1: About this guide 5
Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Technical support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Chapter 2: System overview 9
Product description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Principles of operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Control panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Sheath plenum enclosure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Specifications and requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Chapter 3: Operation 19
Starting up the system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Shutting down the system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Responding to alarms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Chapter 4: Maintenance 25
Replacing the sheath cubitainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Replacing the waste cubitainer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Flushing the BD LSRFortessa system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Flushing the BD LSRFortessa system with a BD HTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Replacing the air filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Changing the sheath filter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Sensors and tubing locations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
1
About this guide
This guide describes the setup and operation of the BD FACSFlow supply system. The
BD FACSFlow Supply System User’s Guide is intended for laboratory personnel and
flow cytometry operators. Application-specific instructions are not included in this
guide.
This section includes these topics:
•Conventions (page 6)
•Technical support (page 7)
BD FACSFlow Supply System User’s Guide6
Conventions
Introduction The following table lists the safety symbols used in this guide to
alert you to potential hazards.
Safety symbols
Symbol Meaning
Caution alert
Identifies a hazard or unsafe practice that could result in
data loss, material damage, minor injury, severe injury, or
death
Biological hazard
Electrical hazard
Laser hazard
Fire hazard
Mechanical hazard, pinch points
Chapter 1: About this guide 7
Technical support
Introduction This topic describes how to get technical assistance.
Getting assistance
from this guide
For technical questions or assistance in solving a problem:
• Read the section of this guide specific to the operation you are
performing.
• See Troubleshooting (page 43)
Contacting
technical support
If additional assistance is required, contact your local
BD Biosciences technical support representative or supplier.
When contacting BD Biosciences, have the following information
available:
• Product name, part number, and serial number
• Any error messages
• Details of recent instrument performance
To contact customer support:
1. Go to bdbiosciences.com.
2. Select your region.
Information is displayed in your local language.
3. Click Go.
4. Click the Support link for contact details for your local region.
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BD FACSFlow Supply System User’s Guide10
Product description
Introduction The BD FACSFlow supply system is an automated sheath and
waste fluid control system designed for use with
BD LSRFortessa™ flow cytometers.
This topic describes the system and its components.
Product
classification
The BD FACSFlow supply system is For Research Use Only and is
not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. The system has
not been validated for clinical use.
System
components
The BD FACSFlow supply system houses 20-L sheath fluid and
waste cubitainers. Electronic cables and tubing connect the
BD FACSFlow supply system to the sheath plenum.
The photo shows the BD FACSFlow supply system and its
associated parts. The system includes:
• BD FACSFlow supply system unit
• Four-liter sheath plenum for the cytometer, stored in an
enclosure. See Sheath plenum enclosure (page 16)
Note: The sheath plenum is called the modified sheath
container in the BD FACSFlow Supply System Safety and
Limitations Guide.
• Probe sets and tubing with color-coded connectors
• Probe holders
Note: The system ships with a 10-L plastic container for use as a
waste container. You can use an empty sheath cubitainer for waste
as soon as one becomes available. This increases the capacity for
waste collection and requires fewer changes. Make sure to add
waste labels to the cubitainer to clearly indicate that it contains
waste and must be handled accordingly.
Chapter 2: System overview 11
Item Description
1 Power switch
2 Cabinet base
3 Air filter
4 Waste cubitainer probe
5 Probe holder
6 Sheath cubitainer probe
7Plenum
Caution! Do not move the BD FACSFlow supply system
by pulling on the probe holders because they might
break off.
BD FACSFlow Supply System User’s Guide12
Principles of operation
Introduction This topic describes the principles of operation for the system.
Overview The BD FACSFlow supply system manages sheath and waste fluid
levels for the cytometer.
Sheath fluid is pumped from a 20-L cubitainer, so there is no need
to refill the sheath plenum. Waste from the cytometer is collected
into an empty 20-L cubitainer, so waste has to be emptied less
often.
Sheath plenum A 4-liter sheath plenum is added to the system. The cap on the
plenum has tubing and probes with a fluid level sensor that extends
into the plenum.
When the probe in the sheath plenum detects a specified low level,
it signals the BD FACSFlow supply system to pump sheath fluid
from the 20-L cubitainer to the sheath plenum.
Sheath and waste
cubitainers
The BD FACSFlow supply system unit houses the 20-L sheath fluid
and waste cubitainers. The cubitainer caps have probes with fluid
level sensors and tubing that extend into the cubitainers. The
BD FACSFlow supply system sounds an alarm, and a visual alarm
on the control panel illuminates, when the following occurs:
• The probe in the sheath fluid cubitainer detects a specified low
level of sheath fluid.
• The probe in the waste cubitainer detects a specified high level
of waste.
Chapter 2: System overview 13
The following diagram illustrates the flow of information and fluid
between the cytometer and the BD FACSFlow supply system.
Control panel
Introduction This topic describes the location and function of the controls and
indicators on the control panel. You can access and monitor all of
the BD FACSFlow supply system functions from the control panel.
Control buttons The following figure and table show the location of the control
buttons and describe their functions.
Cytometer
Legend
= Fluid
= Sensor
Sheath
plenum
To
flow
cell
From
flow
cell
Control panel
BD FACSFlow
supply system
Sheath
cubitainer
Waste
cubitainer
BD FACSFlow Supply System User’s Guide14
Indicator lights The following figure and table show the location of the indicator
lights and describe their functions.
Item Button Function
1 Alarm Shuts off the audible alarm. The indicator light
remains flashing until the situation is remedied.
2 Prime Pumps sheath fluid to the sheath plenum until it
reaches the default operational level.
3 Restart After an alarm, resets the system once the
situation is remedied.
4 O Indicates the off position of the power switch.
5 | Indicates the on position of the power switch.
6Power
switch
Turns the power on.
Chapter 2: System overview 15
Item Indicator Display Color Meaning
1 Waste Full Steady Red The 20-L waste cubitainer is full.
2 FACSFlow
1.5 L
Flashing Red The 20-L BD FACSFlow cubitainer contains
approximately 1.5 L of sheath fluid.
3 FACSFlow
Empty
Steady Red The 20-L BD FACSFlow cubitainer is empty.
4 Pump Fill Steady Yellow Sheath fluid is being pumped from the cubitainer
to fill the cytometer sheath plenum.
5Drain
Pump
Steady Yellow The drain pump is in use.
6 System On Steady Green The system is turned on.
Flashing Green Indicates the power-on test of the internal
electronics has failed. Power off the system, wait
for 15 seconds, and turn the system on again. The
System On indicator light should now be steady.
If the indicator is still flashing, contact your BD
Biosciences service representative.
BD FACSFlow Supply System User’s Guide16
Sheath plenum enclosure
Introduction This topic describes the sheath plenum enclosure.
Description The sheath plenum enclosure holds the sheath plenum and the
sheath filter.
The following figure shows the enclosure.
Caution! The sheath plenum and the sheath filter must
be replaced annually.
1
2
3
Chapter 2: System overview 17
The enclosure has these features:
• Sheath filter holder on one end
• Plenum cap holder on other end
• The sheath plenum, which slides out to the side after opening
the cover and disconnecting caps and tubing
More information •Changing the sheath filter (page 39)
Specifications and requirements
Introduction This topic lists the specifications and requirements for the product.
Physical • Height: 57 cm (22.4 in.)
• Width: 62 cm (24.4 in.)
• Depth: 73 cm (28.7 in.)
• Weight: 22 kg (48.4 lb). The weight of the unit does not
include the weight of full BD FACSFlow sheath or waste
cubitainers.
Electrical • Input voltage/Hz: 100–240, VAC 50–60 Hz
• Current:
– 0.5 A (at 120 V)
– 0.3 A (at 220 V)
• Fuse: 1 A T
Item Description
1Capholder
2 Sheath plenum
3 Sheath filter
BD FACSFlow Supply System User’s Guide18
Operating
environment
• Temperature: 16°C–29°C
• Humidity: 10–90% relative humidity at 35°C, non-condensing
• Air filtering: no excessive dust and smoke
BD FACSFlow Supply System User’s Guide20
Starting up the system
Introduction This topic describes the procedure for starting up the system.
Startup guidelines Follow these guidelines each time you start the system.
• Tighten all caps before operating the BD FACSFlow supply
system to avoid overflow of any containers.
• Do not operate the cytometer if the BD FACSFlow supply
system is shut off. If the BD FACSFlow supply system is shut
off while the cytometer is in operation, the waste cubitainer
can overflow and the sheath plenum can run dry.
Procedure It is important to perform the following steps in the order given.
This will allow the pump in the BD FACSFlow supply system to fill
the sheath plenum without creating back pressure.
To start up the system:
1. Check the sheath cubitainer to verify that it contains sufficient
sheath fluid for the day.
2. Check the waste cubitainer to verify that it is not full or
swollen.
3. Loosen the cap assembly on the waste cubitainer slightly and
slowly (to a maximum of one half turn) to check for excess
pressure.
Caution! The BD FACSFlow supply system was not
designed to fill an empty sheath plenum. If you
empty the sheath plenum, manually fill it with
1,500 mL of sheath fluid before you use the
BD FACSFlow supply system.
Table of contents
