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Flow management strategies for a connected purification process
Author(s) -
Goebel Mathias,
Rodrigues Rui,
Pampel Lars,
Rapp Johanna,
Shultz Joseph,
Cui Huanchun
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
biotechnology and bioengineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.136
H-Index - 189
eISSN - 1097-0290
pISSN - 0006-3592
DOI - 10.1002/bit.27772
Subject(s) - downstream (manufacturing) , ultrafiltration (renal) , process (computing) , flow (mathematics) , process engineering , unit operation , volumetric flow rate , cross flow filtration , filtration (mathematics) , computer science , engineering , operations management , chemistry , mathematics , membrane , chromatography , mechanics , physics , biochemistry , statistics , chemical engineering , operating system
Abstract This paper describes different flow management strategies for a connected purification process which includes two polishing steps, virus filtration and tangential flow filtration. Connecting these unit operations avoids introducing large intermediate product pool vessels in small manufacturing facilities. However, a connected‐downstream process requires an elaborate control strategy enabling multiple unit operations to function as a single unit. The key strategy to enable the connected‐downstream process is a robust management of flow disparities among unit operations. During a typical ultrafiltration step, product concentration increases as mass is added to the retentate tank, leading to a permeate flux decline. In a connected‐downstream process, the inlet stream is directly connected to the prior unit operation and any decrease in permeate flow rate could cause a flow disparity. Four different flow management approaches are proposed to manage potential flow disparities and their advantages and challenges are discussed. Bench‐scale results of these strategies are presented and evaluated.