Apparatus for processing a liquid comprising a target substance

An apparatus for processing a liquid comprising a target substance, said apparatus including at least a first means for carrying out a unit operation comprising:

• (i) at least two feed liquids being in fluid connection with inlets of a multiple inlet flow-controller comprising two or more variable flow inlet valves for dosing the at least two feed liquids, the multiple inlet flow-controller also comprising an outlet upstream of a first processing device;
• (ii) a feed for a liquid feedstock comprising the target substance in fluid connection with the outlet from the multiple inlet flow-controller thereby to enable combination of the feed for a liquid comprising the target substance with mixed bioprocessing liquids to produce a device feed upstream of the first processing device;
• (iii) the first processing device for achieving a processing operation comprising a device inlet and a device outlet, the device inlet being in fluid connection with the device feed and producing a first processed liquid feed exiting the first processing device via the device outlet;
• and
• (iv) a means for imparting flow of the at least two feed liquids through the multiple inlet flow controller and the feed for a liquid feedstock comprising the target substance through the first processing device via the device inlet;
• the apparatus further comprising a second means for carrying out a unit operation comprising a second processing device, wherein the second means for carrying out a unit operation is connected in series to receive the first processed liquid feed from the first means for carrying out a unit operation, and
• wherein the first processing device carries out a different processing function from the second processing device.