Rectifying dialyzer, bioreactor and membrane

A method of producing biological products comprising

• confining living cells in a bioreactor vessel comprising a plurality of dual-skinned hollow polymeric membranes having a microporous structure between the walls thereof, said microporous structure having a skin of polymer formed integrally with the interior and exterior surfaces thereof, the microporous structure containing pores capable of retaining solutes of a selected molecular weight range within a molecular weight range of about 5000 to 200000 in an increased concentration between the interior and exterior skins, each of said skins having micropores invisible at 10,000 times magnification, the membrane having an overall sieving coefficient for passage therethrough in one direction of fluids containing solutes comprising molecules in said selected molecular weight range different from the overall sieving coefficient for passage of such fluids in the opposite direction, said hollow polymeric membranes being secured in a generally parallel orientation in an enclosure, the opposite ends of said enclosure being formed by a polymeric resin which envelopes the exteriors of said fibers, the opposite ends of said fibers extending through said polymeric resin, the exteriors of said fibers and the interior of said enclosure defining a bioreaction vessel for the growth of living cells,
• inflow means for a fluid which is in fluid flow communication with the interiors of said membranes,
• outflow means in fluid flow communication with the other ends of said membranes for outflow of said fluid,
• an opening, normally closed, for introduction and removal of fluids from the interior of said vessel,
• causing a fluid containing nutrients for said cells to flow through said hollow membranes to allow transport of said nutrients through said membrane to said cells,
• removing waste materials from said cells as they are transferred through said membrane to said fluid, and, subsequently,
• removing a biological product from said vessel.

A device for filtration of fluids comprising a plurality of dual-skinned hollow polymeric membranes secured in a generally parallel orientation in an enclosure, said dual-skinned hollow polymeric membranes having a microporous structure within the walls thereof, said microporous structure having skins of polymer formed integrally with the interior and exterior surfaces thereof, each of said skins containing micropores invisible at 10,000 times magnification, the membranes having a sieving coefficient for passage therethrough of liquids containing solutes of a selected molecular weight range within a molecular weight range of about 5000 to 200,000 in one direction that is different than that for the passage therethrough of the same fluids in the opposite direction,

• the opposite ends of said enclosure being formed by a polymeric resin which envelopes the exteriors of said fibers, the opposite ends of said fibers extending through said polymeric resin,
• inflow means for a first fluid which is in fluid flow communication with the interiors of said membranes,
• outflow means in fluid flow communication with the other ends of said membranes for outflow of said first fluid,
• a fluid flow path comprising inflow and outflow passages in fluid flow communication with the interior of said enclosure whereby a second fluid can be caused to flow in contact with the exterior surfaces of said membranes.