Method and apparatus for the filtration of biological solutions
AssigneeSpf Innovations, LLC
InventorsGaston de los Reyes, Leon Mir
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Abstract
A system, method and device are disclosed for bio-processing a feed stream and providing a constant output by operating a continuous single-pass tangential-flow process. The single-pass process provides high conversion concentration while operating at relatively low feed flow rates, and the process can also be used to provide constant output diafiltration.
Claims24
An internally staged filtration system comprising:
- a housing;
- a plurality of stages disposed within the housing, each stage having a plurality of channels comprising an filtration membrane, each stage being in fluid communication with each adjacent stage preceding it and being in fluid communication with each adjacent stage that follows it, and at least two stages form a serial flow path, wherein the plurality of stages is arranged to provide retentate staging by coupling a retentate port of at least one of the plurality of stages to a feed port of an adjacent following stage;
- wherein a filtration property of a first stage and a second stage following the first stage differ to maintain separation performance;
- and
- wherein a specific membrane area of at least one channel of the plurality of channels is greater than about 40 cm−1.
A method for efficiently using filtration membranes for processing a solute in a feed stream while achieving a high conversion factor and reducing system requirements, hold-up volume and processing time, the method comprising:
- operating a plurality of stages, at least one stage comprising a plurality of substantially identical, long thin channels comprising the filtration membrane, in single pass filtration (SPF) mode, the stages being arranged to provide retentate staging by fluidly coupling the retentate of at least one of the plurality of stages to a successive stage;
- maintaining performance in at least one of the plurality of stages by varying at least one property of at least one stage relative to a preceding stage;
- and
- continuously supplying the feed stream at a specific feed flow rate of less than about 200 lmh.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.