Separation apparatus and use thereof

A separating apparatus for separation of suspended cells from the cell suspension, wherein the separating apparatus comprises:

• a sedimentation settler having a plurality of channels;
• and
• a collection vessel disposed underneath and being in fluid communication with the sedimentation settler, the collection vessel forming a receiving chamber having an outlet at or adjacent to a chamber bottom and having an inflow inlet opening above the outlet,
• wherein:
• an inner wall of the collection vessel extending from the outlet to the inflow inlet opening is curved such that a horizontal cross-sectional area decreases towards the chamber bottom,
• the inflow inlet opening is located at the same vertical height level of the separating apparatus as the lower edge of the sedimentation settler or below the lower edge of the sedimentation settler,
• the collection vessel is arranged such that a flow direction of a fluid inflow from the inflow inlet opening into the receiving chamber is substantially in line with the direction of the channels of the sedimentation settler after passing the inflow inlet opening, and
• (1) the collection vessel comprises a baffle plate located at or in proximity to the inflow inlet opening and extending down into the collection vessel to a distance less than half of a depth of the collection vessel, the baffle plate for downwardly deflecting the fluid inflow after passing the inflow inlet opening, wherein (i) an arrangement and shape of the baffle plate and a curvature of the inner wall of the collection vessel are adapted to each other such that an initially downwardly deflected fluid inflow is further guided up towards the sedimentation settler, (ii) the baffle plate extends from a lower portion of the sedimentation settler at the lower edge of the sedimentation settler closest to the inflow inlet opening, or (iii) the baffle plate is connected to an inner wall of the collection vessel above the inflow inlet opening;
• or
• (2) the system further comprises a rotor located upstream of the inflow inlet opening, the rotor comprising one or more vanes to set the fluid inflow in rotation.

A method for cultivation of suspended cells in a cell suspension, the method comprising:

• (a) providing a system comprising (i) a bioreactor for growth of cells in a cell suspension;
• and (ii) a separating apparatus located downstream of the bioreactor for separation of suspended cells from the cell suspension;
• wherein the separating apparatus comprises:
• a sedimentation settler having a plurality of channels;
• and
• a collection vessel disposed underneath and being in fluid communication with the sedimentation settler, the collection vessel forming a receiving chamber having an outlet at or adjacent to a chamber bottom and having an inflow inlet opening above the outlet,
• wherein:
• an inner wall of the collection vessel extending from the outlet to the inflow inlet opening is curved such that a horizontal cross-sectional area decreases towards the chamber bottom,
• the inflow inlet opening is located at the same vertical height level of the separating apparatus as the lower edge of the sedimentation settler or below the lower edge of the sedimentation settler,
• the collection vessel is arranged such that a flow direction of a fluid inflow from the inflow inlet opening into the receiving chamber is substantially in line with the direction of the channels of the sedimentation settler after passing the inflow inlet opening, and
• (1) the collection vessel comprises a baffle plate located at or in proximity to the inflow inlet opening and extending down into the collection vessel to a distance less than half of a depth of the collection vessel, the baffle plate for downwardly deflecting the fluid inflow after passing the inflow inlet opening, wherein (i) an arrangement and shape of the baffle plate and a curvature of the inner wall of the collection vessel are adapted to each other such that an initially downwardly deflected fluid inflow is further guided up towards the sedimentation settler, (ii) the baffle plate extends from a lower portion of the sedimentation settler at the lower edge of the sedimentation settler closest to the inflow inlet opening, or (iii) wherein the baffle plate is connected to an inner wall of the collection vessel above the inflow inlet opening;
• or
• (2) the system further comprises a rotor located upstream of the inflow inlet opening, the rotor comprising one or more vanes to set the fluid inflow in rotation;
• (b) inoculating the suspended cells in medium contained in the bioreactor to achieve an inoculation cell density of 5×105 cells/ml to 50×105 cells/ml;
• and
• (c) passing the cell suspension through the separating apparatus to separate cells from a clear phase, wherein separated cells are returned to the bioreactor.