Connector apparatus and system including connector apparatus
AssigneeMykrolis Corporation
InventorsJ. Karl Niermeyer, Gaston de los Reyes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A connector apparatus is provided which is configured to replace a separation module in a system for dispensing a fluid. When it is desired to purge the system of a dispensed fluid, the connector apparatus, having the same configuration of an inlet and an outlet as the separation module, replaces the separation module and a purging fluid is passed through the system.
Claims18
A fluid separation module having first and second ends and being free of a dead volume comprising:
- a housing having;
- a separation element contained within said housing to divide the interior of said housing into first and second volumes, said separation element comprising a microporous or ultrafiltration membrane and a series of flow passages upstream and downstream of said membrane;
- an end cap bonded to said housing;
- first and second active connector means for a fluid feed and for a permeate located at said first end for introducing fluid feed into the interior of said housing and for removing permeate from the interior of said housing;
- said second end being free of an active connector means;
- said first end being free of an active retentate connector means;
- a conduit attached to said first connector means and extending longitudinally within said housing to said second end so as to direct all of the flow between said first connector and said second end;
- said second end being in fluid communication with said first volume;
- said second volume being in fluid communication with said second connector means;
- a gas vent means located at said first end and being in fluid communication with said first volume or said second volume;
- whereby a fluid feed introduced into one of said connector means is processed by said separation element to form a permeate collected at the other of said connector means.
A method for filtering a liquid within a fluid separation module free of a dead volume comprising a housing fused to an end cap and a separation element contained within said housing which comprises:
- introducing a liquid to be filtered into one of a first connector or a second connector located at a first end of said housing for introducing liquid into the interior or said housing and removing liquid from the interior of said housing through the other of said first connector of said second connector;
- said separation element dividing the interior of said housing into first and second volumes;
- said separation element comprising a microporous or ultrafiltration membrane and a series of flow passages upstream and downstream of said membrane;
- a conduit attached to said first connector and extending longitudinally when said housing to said second end so as to direct all of the liquid flow between said first connector and said second connector;
- said second end being in fluid communication with said first volume;
- said second volume being in fluid communication with said second connector, whereby a liquid feed introduced into one of said connectors is processed by said separation element to form a permeate collected at the other of said connectors;
- a gas vent means located at said first end and being in fluid communication with said first volume or said second volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.