Priming of spinning membrane separators

A fluid processing device, comprising:

• a controller;
• a spinning membrane separator drive unit configured to receive a spinning membrane separator including a housing, a rotor rotatably received within the housing, an inlet port, a filtrate outlet port in fluid communication with an interior of the rotor, and a retentate outlet port in fluid communication with an annulus defined between the housing and the rotor;
• and
• a pump system, wherein the controller is programmed to execute a priming procedure including
• controlling the pump system during a first stage to convey a priming fluid into the spinning membrane separator via the filtrate outlet port so as to convey air out of the spinning membrane separator via the inlet port and the retentate outlet port,
• controlling the pump system to stop conveying the priming fluid into the spinning membrane separator via the filtrate outlet port, and
• after controlling the pump system to stop conveying the priming fluid into the spinning membrane separator via the filtrate outlet port, controlling the pump system during a second stage to convey the priming fluid into the spinning membrane separator via the inlet port so as to convey air out of the spinning membrane separator via the retentate outlet port.