Disposable membrane module with low-dead volume
AssigneeMillipore Corporation
InventorsGaston de los Reyes, J. Karl Niermeyer
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Abstract
A membrane filtration module is disclosed for use in fluid processing systems in which all active connections between the module and the fluid processing system are located only on one end of the module. A central flow conduit within the module directs all of the flow of liquid from one of the connections to the opposite end. In this manner, dead volume is essentially eliminated as the flow pattern causes the liquid to sweep all the volume within the module while still providing for easy installation and replacement by virtue of having all of the active connections on only one end.
Claims19
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 central 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;
- whereby a fluid fed 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 central 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.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.