US 11,772,048 B2
Perfusion filtration system
Attila Herczeg, Southborough, MA (US); and Julie-Anne Burdick, Hudson, MA (US)
Assigned to WaterSep Bioseparations LLC, Marlborough, MA (US)
Filed by WaterSep BioSeparations LLC, Marlborough, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 9, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/813,656.
Prior Publication US 2021/0275971 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. B01D 69/08 (2006.01); B01D 65/00 (2006.01); B01D 63/04 (2006.01); B01D 63/02 (2006.01); C12M 1/34 (2006.01); C12M 1/00 (2006.01)
CPC B01D 63/043 (2013.01) [B01D 63/024 (2013.01); B01D 65/00 (2013.01); C12M 23/26 (2013.01); C12M 29/10 (2013.01); C12M 41/40 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A perfusion filtration module for filtering a feed fluid, comprising:
a. a plurality of hollow fiber filter membranes, each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first ends of the hollow fiber filter membranes are potted, thus forming a first potted end, to enable filtrate flow from the hollow fiber filter membranes, and wherein the second ends of the hollow fiber filter membranes are, either,
i. potted, thus forming a second potted end, to enable fluid flow from the hollow fiber filter membranes; or, alternatively,
ii. mounted, thus forming a mounted end, so that the hollow fiber filter membranes are sealed to prevent filtrate flow;
b. a constraint that allows the hollow fiber filter membranes to be held in a splayed configuration, wherein the
i. first potted end and second potted end, or, alternatively,
ii. the first potted end and mounted end,
comprise first and second surfaces, respectively, from which the fiber filter membranes emerge,
wherein the first surface has a first shape and the second surface has a second shape that is the same as or different from the first shape, and each of the first and second shapes is either conical or semispherical,
wherein the splayed configuration is a configuration in which the hollow fiber filter membranes spread out from one another as they extend away from the first potted end and the second potted, or mounted, end to increase an interstitial distance between adjacent ones of the plurality of hollow fiber filter membranes across a width of the perfusion filtration module between the first potted end and the second potted, or mounted, end,
wherein the splayed configuration has a degree of splay and the degree of splay is between 2 and 7, and
wherein the perfusion filtration module comprises a housing, and the potted first ends and the second potted, or mounted, ends of the plurality of hollow fiber filter membranes are fixed relative to the housing.