Apparatus and methods for performing steps of a multi-step process in parallel

A method of performing steps in a multi-step process in parallel, comprising:

• providing a device having a rotor assembly, a stator assembly, and two seals, said rotor assembly having an axis of rotation, including two rotor valve surfaces and having a plurality of vessel stations, each vessel station having at least one conduit having a working inlet for placing fluid in a work vessel at the vessel station and a working outlet for taking fluid out of a working vessel at the vessel station, said conduit having a rotor inlet port on a first of the two rotor valve surfaces and rotor outlet port on a second of said two rotor valve surfaces for each vessel station, said rotor valve surface constructed and arranged to rotate with respect to the stator assembly on said axis of rotation;
• and,
• said stator assembly including two stator valve surfaces and two end caps, wherein each of said two end caps includes a recessed cavity having an inner surface whereby the inner surface of said each end cap is one of the two stator valve surfaces, said stator assembly rotatably receiving said rotor assembly for rotation between at least three rotor positions comprising at least one non-working position in which fluid does not flow through said conduit, a first working position in which said conduit is in communication with a first fluid source for performing a first step in a process, and at least one further working position in which said conduit is in communication with at least one further fluid source for performing at least one additional step in a process,
• said rotor assembly being rotatable, relative to said stator assembly, to place at least one work vessel in a first working position and at least one work vessel in an additional working position during a first working time period,
• said rotor assembly being rotatable, relative to said stator assembly, to place at least one work vessel in said non-working position during a non-working period, and
• said rotor assembly being rotatable, relative to said stator assembly, such that each working vessel assumes each working position during a total process time period during which each step in the multi-step process is performed, and such that more than one step of the multi-step process is performed during one working time period,
• wherein each of the two seals is affixed in the recessed cavity of one of the two end caps and is disposed between one of the two rotor valve surfaces and one of the two stator valve surfaces of said one end cap, each of said two seals being formed from a flexible resilient material and including seal openings for fluid communication between said one stator valve surface and said one rotor valve surface, said seal openings of each of said two seals including extended passages formed on only a first face of said seal, wherein the extended passages formed on only the first face extend on an arc corresponding to the rotation of the rotor valve surface to limit the non-working period, and
• wherein, for each of the two seals, an elevated surface of the seal is elevated with respect to a surface of the first face of said each seal and wherein the extended passages formed on the first face are formed in the elevated surface of the said each seal which concentrates compressive force on an area immediately surrounding the seal openings.