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US 10,518,222 B2Granted
Cycling ultra-thin channel filtration
AssigneeSpf Technologies LLC
InventorGaston de los Reyes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cycling ultra-thin channel filtration (cUTF) method, system and module are disclosed for concentration and purification of biomolecules. In one embodiment, a cUTF system includes a cUTF module and a cycle controller to load a feed aliquot of a feed stream into the cUTF module inducing permeation of the feed stream to build a boundary layer by pressurizing the feed stream, to stop permeation and to recover a retentate aliquot in a repeating cycle.
Claims19
A cycling ultra-thin channel filtration (cUTF) system comprising
- a cUTF module comprising:
- first and second planar sheets,
- a planar filtration membrane, sandwiched between the first and second planar sheets, separating an interior of said cUTF module into a retentate compartment and a permeate compartment;
- a feed port fluidly coupled to a first end of the retentate compartment;
- a retentate port fluidly coupled to a second end of the retentate compartment;
- a permeate port fluidly coupled to the permeate compartment;
- a retentate extractor coupled to the retentate port;
- a permeate pressurization valve coupled to the permeate port;
- an array of substantially similar open channels, disposed between the planar membrane and at least one of the first and second planar sheets, having a feed end fluidly coupled to the feed port and a retentate end fluidly coupled to the retentate port;
- a cycle controller controllably connected to the retentate extractor and the permeate pressurization valve;
- wherein the cycle controller includes at least one of:
- a timing circuit to control the retentate extractor and the permeate pressurization valve;
- a load detector to control the retentate extractor and the permeate pressurization valve;
- and
- a recovery detector to control the retentate extractor and the permeate pressurization valve;
- and
- wherein the cycle controller operates a control program to open and close the permeate pressurization valve and start and stop the retentate extractor at least once during a cycle for a plurality of cycles to collect a boundary layer with minimum mixing.
14 more elements
A method of fractionation of a feed stream comprising:
- providing a cycling ultra-thin channel filtration (cUTF) system comprising:
- a cUTF module comprising:
- first and second planar sheets,
- a planar filtration membrane, sandwiched between the first and second planar sheets, separating an interior of said cUTF module into a retentate compartment having an array of substantially similar open channels and a permeate compartment;
- a feed port fluidly coupled to a feed end of the array of substantially similar channels;
- a retentate port fluidly coupled to a retentate end of the array of substantially similar channels;
- a permeate port fluidly coupled to the permeate compartment;
- a retentate extractor fluidly coupled to the retentate port;
- a permeate pressurization valve fluidly coupled to the permeate port;
- loading a feed aliquot of the feed stream into the cUTF module and inducing permeation of the feed stream to build a boundary layer by:
- operating the retentate extractor to recover a predetermined constant volume of retentate aliquot;
- opening the permeate pressurization valve;
- and
- pressurizing the feed stream through the feed port;
- closing the permeate pressurization valve stopping permeation at least once during a cycle, for a plurality of cycles to collect a boundary layer with minimum mixing;
- and
- recovering a retentate aliquot from the retentate port by operating the retentate extractor to provide a positive volume control;
- restarting and repeating the steps of loading, operating, opening, pressurizing, stopping and recovering steps;
- and
- wherein the retentate extractor comprises a precision positive displacement pump.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.