Single-Pass Filtration Systems And Processes

• US 20190099717A1
• Filed: 12/03/2018
• Published: 04/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EMD Millipore Corporation (Merck & Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Lutz, Herbert, Parrella, Joseph, Raghunath, Bala
• Granted Patent: US 11,040,310 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2313/18 Specific valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2315/10 Cross-flow filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2319/022 Reject series
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2319/04 Elements in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/04 Backflushing
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/06 Use of osmotic pressure, e.g. direct osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2321/164 Use of bases
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/145 Ultrafiltration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/146 comprising multiple ultrafiltration steps
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/18 Apparatus therefor
• 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 65/02 Membrane cleaning or sterilisation ; Membrane regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 1/34 by filtration, ultrafiltration or reverse osmosis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49828 Progressively advancing of work assembly station or assembled portion of work

Abstract

The present invention provides, in various embodiments, hybrid single-pass tangential flow filtration assemblies, disposable single-pass tangential flow filtration assemblies, scalable single-pass tangential flow filtration assemblies and adaptable modular single-pass tangential flow filtration assemblies. In other embodiments, the invention relates to processes for recovering proteins from the surface of a filtration membrane in a single-pass tangential flow filtration assembly and for cleaning a tangential flow filtration assembly. In additional embodiments, the invention provides methods of increasing the processing capacity of a single-pass tangential flow filtration assembly.

Claims

1. A method of adding a processing unit to a single-pass tangential flow filtration (SPTFF) assembly, the method comprising:

a) establishing a fluid connection between a first processing unit in the SPTFF assembly and a second processing unit that is to be added to the SPTFF assembly, wherein the first and second processing units each comprise a cassette holder containing at least one TFF cassette and wherein the cassette holders of the first and second processing units are fluidly connected to each other by a first channel connected to a feed inlet, a second channel connected to a retentate outlet and a permeate channel, wherein the first channel, second channel and permeate channel extend through the cassette holders of the first and second processing units; and

b) positioning a mechanical seal on the first channel between the first and second cassette holders of the processing units, thereby preventing feed in the first channel in the first processing unit from flowing directly into the second processing unit and ensuring that the first and second processing units are processed in series.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mechanical seal is a gasket, a solid disc, a sanitary seal or a mechanical seal built into the cassette holder.

3. An adaptable modular single-pass tangential flow filtration (SPTFF) assembly comprising:

at least two processing units, each processing unit comprising a cassette holder containing a first channel, a second channel and a permeate channel and at least one TFF cassette,

wherein the at least two processing unit are configured to fluidly connect to one or more additional processing units comprising a cassette holder, and

wherein the at least one TFF cassette is replaceable with one or more TFF cassettes having a different filtration membrane area;

wherein the first channel, the second channel and the permeate channel of adjacent stacked cassette holders in the processing units are fluidly aligned such that

the first channel connected to a feed inlet extends through each cassette holder of the processing units;

the second channel connected to a retentate outlet extends through each cassette holder of the processing units;

the permeate channel extends through each cassette holder of the processing units; and

one or more valves, mechanical seals or a combination thereof between adjacent cassette holders in the processing units, wherein the position of the valve or mechanical seal alternates between the first channel and the second channel for consecutive pairs of cassette holders in adjacent processing units, thereby ensuring that the processing units in the assembly can be processed in series.

4. A method of altering the processing capacity of the adaptable modular SPTFF assembly of claim 3, the method comprising:

a) adding or removing at least one processing unit to or from the assembly;

b) replacing at least one TFF cassette in one or more processing units in the assembly with a TFF cassette having a different filtration membrane area;

c) adding or removing at least one TFF cassette to or from one or more processing units in the assembly;

or

d) a combination thereof.