Concentrator filter

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for separating suspended matter from liquid includes a concentrator filter that draws the liquid out of the suspension while the filter kept unblocked by a sparging filter that allows scrubbing of the concentrator filter by gas bubbles. This invention can be used to replace cross-flow filtration and centrifugation in the bioprocess industry and to reduce the volume of suspensions to concentrate the yield of the end product in the chemical industry.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of concentrating cells and organisms in a bioreactor comprising:
 providing a filter device comprising:
 at least one concentrator filter with at least one surface and inner volume and connected to a source of vacuum through an extraction tube; 
 at least one sparging filter with at least one surface and inner volume connected to a source of compressed gas; and, 
 fixing the concentrator filter and the sparging filter in a configuration to allow maximal contact along the entire surface between filters; 
   disposing the filter device in the bioreactor containing a suspension of a biological culture in nutrient media ready for concentrating;   turning on gas flow to sparging filter;   turning on the vacuum source attached to the concentrator filter; and,   removing a fixed volume of nutrient media from the bioreactor.   
     
     
         2 . A method of concentrating a chemical suspension in a reactor comprising:
 providing a filter device comprising:
 at least one concentrator filter with at least one surface and inner volume and connected to a source of vacuum through an extraction tube; 
 at least one sparging filter with at least one surface and inner volume connected to a source of compressed gas; 
 fixing the concentrator filter and the sparging filter in a configuration to allow maximal contact along the entire surface between filters; 
   disposing the filter device in the bioreactor containing a chemical suspension ready for concentrating;   turning on gas flow to sparging filter;   turning on the vacuum source attached to the concentrator filter;   removing a fixed volume of chemical reaction from the bioreactor.   
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the concentrator filter comprises pores of 5 microns or less. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the concentrator filter comprise spores of 5 microns or less. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the filters comprise a hollow tube, a cylinder, an ovoid, a disc, or a cuboid. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the filters comprise a hollow tube, a cylinder, an ovoid, a disc, or a cuboid. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the filters comprise a polymer, a metal or a ceramic material. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the filters comprise a polymer, a metal or a ceramic material. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the concentrator filter further comprises a nylon filter sheath having a multitude of pores. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the concentrator filter further comprises a nylon filter sheath having a multitude of pores.