A method of separating a polyisoolefin elastomer from non-polymeric components in an organic solvent involves ultrafiltration of a solution of the polyisoolefin elastomer and non-polymeric components in an organic solvent through a semipermeable membrane to substantially retain the polyisoolefin elastomer in a retentate and provide the non-polymeric components in a permeate. Advantageously, stabilizers for the polyisoolefin elastomer are retained in the retentate along with the polyisoolefin elastomer, permeate flux through the membrane is higher as concentration of the polyisoolefin elastomer in the solution increases up to a concentration limit, the separated polyisoolefin elastomer in the retentate has a molecular weight that can be substantially unchanged even when ultrafiltration is conducted at elevated temperature and the amount of polyisoolefin elastomer in the permeate is unmeasurable providing an oligomer-rich permeate uncontaminated by polyisoolefin elastomer. A process for curing a polyisoolefin copolymer involves reducing content of an oligomer to 900 ppm or less in a mixture of the oligomer and the polyisoolefin copolymer to produce an oligomer-depleted mixture, and adding a resin cure system to the oligomer-depleted mixture to cure the polyisoolefin copolymer.

Systems and processes for purifying and concentrating a liquid feed stream are disclosed. In the systems, the concentrated liquid output from the high pressure side of a reverse osmosis stage is used as the draw solution in the low pressure side of the reverse osmosis stage in a configuration called osmotically assisted reverse osmosis. This reduces the osmotic pressure differential across the membrane, permitting high solute concentrations to be obtained, hastening the purification of the liquid. Reduced system pressures are also obtained by arranging multiple osmotically assisted reverse osmosis stages in a cross-current arrangement. Overall system energy consumption is reduced compared to conventional thermal processes for high concentration streams.

Viral filters include a filter member featuring a first surface and a second surface and having a thickness extending between the first and second surfaces in a first direction, and a plurality of channels formed in the filter member, each of the channels having a channel axis, where during use, a solution carrying a viral load flows in a direction parallel to the first surface, and at least a portion of the viral load enters the membrane through the first surface and propagates in the first direction, and where for at least 50% of the channels in the filter member, the channel axis is oriented at an angle of between 5 degrees and 85 degrees relative to the first direction.

A fluid filtration assembly includes a filter housing having first and second ends and a connector for fluid communication with a fluid storage vessel. A filter element is disposable within the filter housing, and first and second pumps are coupled at the first and second ends of the filter housing. A controller may coordinate the operation of the first and second pumps to induce alternating tangential flow of fluid between the filter housing and the first and second pumps. At least one of the first and second pumps is a diaphragm pump or a plunger pump. The fluid storage vessel can be a bioreactor.

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for improving the manufacturing of silk solutions and powders containing silk fibroin obtained from silkworm cocoons. The solutions and powders can be used to improve the post-harvest preservation of perishables and to improve the performance of packaging, including biodegradable packaging.

The present disclosure pertains to filtration methods comprising: passing a first fluid that comprises cells, cell debris and targeted product produced by the cells through a first filter thereby separating the first fluid into a first retentate comprising cells and a first permeate comprising targeted product and cell debris; combining resin beads having affinity for targeted product with the first permeate to form a second fluid containing resin beads with bound target product and cell debris; passing the second fluid through a second filter thereby separating the second fluid into a second retentate comprising resin beads with bound target product and a second permeate comprising cell debris; combining an elution buffer with the second retentate to form a third fluid that comprises a mixture of resin beads and unbound targeted product; and passing the third fluid through a third filter thereby separating resin beads from targeted product.

Provided herein are, inter alia, biological manufacturing and downstream purification processes.

An outlet (3) for fluid feed of a first membrane module (1a) is connected to a fluid inlet (2) of a second membrane module (1b), and if further membrane module(s) is/are present, the outlet (3) for fluid feed of a previous membrane module (n−1) is connected to the fluid inlet (2) of a following membrane module (n), and for the last membrane module (n), the outlet (3) for fluid feed is connected to the fluid inlet (2) for fluid feed of the first membrane module (1a). An amount of fluid feed is continuously pumped with pressure PB through a loop of n membrane modules that are serially connected, the fluid feed and permeate flow concurrently through each of the n membrane module(s), generated permeate is continuously drained from each membrane module through a permeate outlet, permeate pressure at the permeate outlet of each membrane module is controlled within a range.

The present invention relates in part to a filter comprising a tubular housing having a proximal end, a distal end and a housing lumen therethrough; a tubular membrane having a proximal end, a distal end and a membrane lumen therethrough, wherein the tubular membrane is positioned within the housing lumen; a contaminated fluid sample inlet fluidly connected to the proximal end of the membrane, and a contaminated fluid sample outlet fluidly connected to the distal end of the membrane, thereby creating a sample flow-path from the sample inlet through the membrane lumen to the sample outlet; and a purification material inlet fluidly connected to a distal region of the housing lumen, and a purification material outlet fluidly connected to a proximal region of the housing lumen, thereby creating a purification material flow-path from the purification material inlet through the housing lumen to the purification material outlet; wherein the direction of the sample flow-path is in the opposite direction of the purification material flow-path. The invention also relates a method of purifying a contaminated fluid using said filter.

The present invention provides for a method for separating starch from processing solutions containing starch containing plants or roots such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, wheat, corn, tapioca, yams, cassaya, sago, rice, pea, broad bean, horse bean, sorghum, konjac, rye, buckwheat and barley to provide commercially acceptable starch while reducing disposal of solid or liquid waste matter into landfills or water treatment facilities.