SIMULATOR DEVICE

• US 20120090716A1
• Filed: 06/16/2010
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cytiva Sweden AB (Danaher Corporation)
• Original Assignee: GE Healthcare Bio-Sciences AB (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Hogstedt, Robert, Lynga, Jan-Erik, Lonnberg, Perhenric, Sjogren, Mikael, Soderstrom, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 9,216,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/861
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/105 Supply manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/125 Discharge manifolds
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/18 Specific valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2315/10 Cross-flow filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/082 comprising a stack of flat membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/0822 Plate-and-frame devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/00 Accessories or auxiliary operations, in general, for separation processes or apparatus using semi-permeable membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/104 Detection of leaks in membrane apparatus or modules
• CPC Class Codes: F15D 1/00 Influencing flow of fluids
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/877 With flow control means for branched passages

Abstract

A simulator device configured to replace a filtration unit in a crossflow filtration system comprises a feed inlet (41), a first flow path (43) connected to the feed inlet (41) for simulating a retentate flow in the filtration unit, and a second flow path (44) connected to the feed inlet (for simulating a permeate flow in the filtration unit. Adjustable valve means (45, 46) are provided for controlling at least one of the simulated retentate flow and the simulated permeate flow.

Claims

1. A simulator device configured to replace a filtration unit in a crossflow filtration system, comprising a feed inlet (41), a first flow path (43) connected to the feed inlet for simulating a retentate flow in the filtration unit, a second flow path (44) connected to the feed inlet for simulating a permeate flow in the filtration unit, and adjustable valve means (45, 47) for controlling at least one of the simulated retentate flow and the simulated permeate flow.

2. The simulator device of claim 1, wherein the first flow path (43) comprises first adjustable valve means (45) for controlling the simulated retentate flow, and the second flow path (44) comprises second adjustable valve means (47) for controlling the simulated permeate flow.

3. The simulator device of claim 1, wherein the feed inlet comprises a feed flow path (41, 42;

53, 62).

4. The simulator device of claim 3, wherein the feed flow path (53, 62) is connected to the first flow path (67, 54) via the first adjustable valve means (63, 65), and to the second flow path (71, 59, 58) via the second adjustable valve means (64, 68).

5. The simulator device of claim 2, wherein each of the first and second adjustable valve means comprise at least one valve.

6. The simulator device of claim 5, wherein the at least one valve is selected from seat valves, sliding valves and membrane valves.

7. The simulator device of claim 6, wherein the at least one valve comprises a needle valve.

8. The simulator device of claim 1, wherein the simulator device is configured to replace a filter membrane cassette received in a cassette holder (30) connecting the cassette to fluid inlet and outlets (38, 39, 40) thereof to thereby be connected to the fluid inlet and outlets (38, 39, 40).

9. The simulator device of claim 8, wherein the filter membrane cassette is a flatsheet filter membrane cassette.

10. The simulator device of claim 1, wherein the first and second flow paths each comprise at least one cavity (53, 54).

11. The simulator device of claim 3, wherein the feed flow path comprises at least one cavity (59).

12. The simulator device of claim 8, wherein each cavity (53, 54, 59) is outwardly open and configured to be closed to form a corresponding chamber when the simulator device is mounted in the cassette holder (30).

13. The simulator device of claim 12, comprising a plate shaped body (50), one face of which (51) comprises a first cavity (53) forming part of said feed flow path and a second cavity (54) forming part of said first, retentate flow simulating flow path, wherein the first cavity (53) is connectable to the second cavity (54) via said first adjustable valve means (63, 65), and an opposite face of which (52) comprises a third cavity (59) forming part of said second, permeate flow simulating flow path, wherein the first cavity (53) is connectable to the third cavity (59) via said second adjustable valve means 64, 68).