Microorganism concentrating apparatus and method

Abstract

A microorganism-concentrating apparatus according to one embodiment includes a mixing device, a filtering device, and a magnetic separation device. The mixing device is configured to mix an aqueous suspension of microorganisms with a particulate filter aid includes magnetic particles to prepare an aqueous slurry of the microorganisms and the particulate filter aid. The filtering device is configured to filter the aqueous slurry supplied from the mixing device to provide a filter cake includes the microorganisms and the particulate filter aid, and to provide a filtrate. The magnetic separation device is configured to magnetically separate the filter cake supplied from the filtering device into the microorganisms and the particulate filter aid.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.