Separation apparatus and use thereof

A method of producing a polypeptide, comprising:

• culturing cells in a system comprising:
• a bioreactor for culturing the cells in a cell suspension, and
• a separating apparatus fluidly connected to the bioreactor, the separating apparatus comprising:
• 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 a lower edge of the sedimentation settler or below the lower edge of the sedimentation settler, and
• 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 aligned with the channels of the sedimentation settler after passing the inflow inlet opening, wherein
• (i) 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 downwardly deflecting the fluid inflow after passing the inflow inlet opening, or
• (ii) the system further comprises a rotor located upstream of the inflow opening, the rotor comprising one or more vanes to set the fluid inflow in rotation;
• and
• expressing the polypeptide using the cells following the culturing.