Centrifugal Filter With Vertical Membranes For Biomolecule Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional centrifugal filtration devices suffer from low recovery rates, slow filtration speeds, and high costs, making them inefficient for concentrating and purifying biomolecules.
Innovation Solution
A filtration device with two vertically oriented membranes and a unique underdrain design that increases membrane area, reduces fouling, and allows for efficient retentate recovery, using a low-cost, disposable housing material with low protein binding properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional single-membrane centrifugal filters are used, then the device structure is simple, but the membrane area is insufficient leading to slow filtration speed and low recovery rate
Solution Approach 1:
The filtration device is segmented into two separate membranes (first membrane and second membrane) arranged in series, allowing each membrane to contribute independently to the filtration process. This segmentation increases the total active filtration area without requiring a single large complex membrane, thereby improving filtration speed while maintaining manageable device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a single-plane membrane configuration to a multi-dimensional arrangement with two membranes positioned at different orientations (first membrane substantially perpendicular to second membrane). This dimensional change effectively doubles the active membrane area within the same device footprint, significantly increasing filtration capacity without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Reliability
If conventional filtration devices are used, then the initial filtration is adequate, but membrane fouling increases during final stages reducing effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The filtration process is segmented across two membranes arranged in series, where the first membrane handles initial filtration and the second membrane handles final concentration. This segmentation distributes the fouling burden across both membranes, preventing single-membrane saturation and maintaining overall membrane effectiveness throughout the entire filtration process.
Solution Approach 2:
The two-membrane configuration enables continuous effective filtration action throughout the concentration process. As the retentate volume decreases and fouling increases on the first membrane, the second membrane continues to provide effective filtration, ensuring that useful filtration action is maintained until the very end of the process without significant loss of effectiveness.
3Loss of substance
If conventional devices are used, then the structure is simple, but protein binding to housing increases loss of substance
Solution Approach 1:
The invention employs a porous housing material that allows passage of proteins and other substances through the housing walls, preventing protein binding and accumulation on the housing surface. This porous structure eliminates the loss of substance through adsorption while maintaining ease of manufacture through use of standard porous materials suitable for centrifugal filtration applications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device achieves recovery rates greater than 90% and faster filtration times while maintaining membrane effectiveness, even during the final stages of concentration, and is cost-effective.
Implementation Method 1
two substantially vertically oriented and spaced apart membranes disposed in the housing. An underdrain is associated with each membrane such that fluid passing through each membrane flows through a respective underdrain
Implementation Method 2
Upon the application of centrifugal force, a force vector is created acting on the macromolecules in the sample and sweeping the filter surface, the causing the macromolecules to be collected in the concentrate pocket away from the filter surface
Data Source
AI summary
Filtration device suited for concentration of liquid samples, particularly biomolecules, and a method of concentrating, desalting, purifying and/or fractionating liquid samples. In certain embodiments the device includes a housing having a sample reservoir, and two substantially vertically oriented and spaced apart membranes disposed in the housing. An underdrain is associated with each membrane such that fluid passing through each membrane flows through a respective underdrain into a filtrate collection chamber. The fluid that does not pass through the membrane is collected in the retentate collection chamber, and can be recovered such as by a reverse spinning step, achieving recoveries greater than about 90%. The substantially vertical orientation of the membranes increases the available membrane area by at least 2.7 times the area available in a conventional filter device. The two-panel configuration also maintains more available membrane area in use during the last stages of filtration than a one-panel configuration.