A method and apparatus for separating cell suspension into centrate and concentrate includes a solid wall rotatable centrifuge bowl (82). A single use rotatable core (88) is positioned in the bowl and bounds a cavity (90) which serves as a separation chamber. The bowl rotates about an axis (84). An inlet tube (92) and an outlet tube (102) extend along the axis in the bowl cavity. The centripetal pump (98) in the cavity is in connection with the outlet tube. The centrate discharge pump (120) is in connection with the outlet tube. A pressure damping reservoir (122) is fluidly connected between the outlet tube and the discharge pump. At least one control circuit (142) is operative to control the apparatus to maintain a positive pressure above atmospheric pressure within the cavity, so as to maintain the cell suspension away from at least one seal (106) that bounds the interior of the cavity.

An apparatus for separating cell suspension material into centrate and concentrate, includes a single use structure (178, 240, 250) releasably positioned in a cavity in a solid wall rotatable centrifuge bowl (172). The bowl and portions of single use structure rotate about an axis (174). A stationary inlet feed tube (184), a centrate discharge tube (212) and a concentrate discharge tube (230) extend along the axis of the rotating single use structure. A centrate centripetal pump (208) is in fluid connection with the centrate discharge tube. A concentrate centripetal pump (216) is in fluid connection with the concentrate discharge tube. A controller (274) operates responsive to sensors (264, 270) in respective centrate and concentrate discharge lines (262, 268), to control flow rates of a concentrate pump (272) and a centrate pump (266) to produce output flows of cell concentrate and generally cell free centrate.

The botanical extraction and purification device described in this patent provide the ability to extract and purify botanical compounds from a diverse plant species through specially crafted process sequences that effectively reach the desired botanical component despite differences in botanical material types and unique differences in organic chemical characteristics. The technological package consists of two main processing centers; each is a combination of process features that can be personalized to effectively address unique extraction requirements. When combined, the extraction processes deliver capabilities in product throughput speed and product purity not available using previously available separation methods. The first component of this package is a CUP that transfers chemical compounds from botanical material into a solvent. The second component is an AISP. This device separates unwanted botanical compounds from the solvent, resulting in a relatively pure plant extract.

An apparatus for separating cell suspension material into centrate and concentrate, includes a single use structure (178, 240, 250, 370, 414) releasably positioned in a cavity in a solid wall rotatable centrifuge bowl (172). The bowl and portions of single use structure rotate about an axis (174, 428). A stationary inlet feed tube (184, 430), a centrate discharge tube (212, 436) and a concentrate discharge tube (230,448) extend along the axis of the rotating single use structure. A centrate centripetal pump (208, 438) is in fluid connection with the centrate discharge tube. A concentrate centripetal pump (216, 450) is in fluid connection with the concentrate discharge tube. At least one concentrate channel (380, 454) and a concentrate centripetal pump chamber (376,452) have configurations in the structure that facilitate the flow of cell concentrate.

A centrifuge includes a rotatably mounted drum, a drive motor, a drum shell made of metal and a vertical axis of rotation. The drum has a feed tube, a paring chamber with a paring disk for leading away clarified or separated liquid, and a solids discharge. The drum has, above the paring chamber, at least two sealing chambers, which lie one axially above the other and which each have a sealing disk protruding into the respective sealing chamber. The centrifuge includes at least one supply channel for supplying a sealing medium to one of the sealing chambers or includes, for each sealing chamber, at least one supply channel for supplying a sealing medium to the respective sealing chamber.

A method and apparatus for separating cell suspension into centrate and concentrate includes a solid wall rotatable centrifuge bowl (82). A single use rotatable core (88) is positioned in the bowl and bounds a cavity (90) which serves as a separation chamber. The bowl rotates about an axis (84). An inlet tube (92) and an outlet tube (102) extend along the axis in the bowl cavity. The centripetal pump (98) in the cavity is in connection with the outlet tube. The centrate discharge pump (120) is in connection with the outlet tube. A pressure damping reservoir (122) is fluidly connected between the outlet tube and the discharge pump. At least one control circuit (142) is operative to control the apparatus to maintain a positive pressure above atmospheric pressure within the cavity, so as to maintain the cell suspension away from at least one seal (106) that bounds the interior of the cavity.

A method for lowering the pressure inside the hood interior of a separator arrangement with a separator with a rotatable drum includes rotating the rotatable drum about a vertical rotation axis. Before processing a product that is to be processed, a liquid is first directed through the drum and the pressure inside the hood interior is lowered, by a device, as a result of rotations of the drum in the manner of a jet pump. After the pressure inside the hood interior has been lowered sufficiently, then the actual processing of the product that is to be processed is performed.

A blood washing system including a rotor defining an internal chamber and a skimmer assembly configured to move a withdrawal needle within the internal chamber. A multi-component fluid, such as a whole blood sample, can be fed into the internal chamber via a feed tube, where the rotor can be rotated to fractionate the multi-component fluid. A brake can be applied to the rotor to cease rotation or rotated at a slower speed to allow the fractions of the multi-component to settle on a bottom wall of the rotor. The withdrawal needle is moveable within the internal chamber to align an orifice of the withdrawal needle for withdrawing the liquid fractions and isolate the solid fractions. Wash fluids can be added to the internal chamber to repeat the wash cycle without removing the solid fractions. The washed solid fractions can be withdrawn via the feed tube and collected.

The invention relates to a device for drawing off fluid of a centrifugation device, particularly for separating at least one fluid, with a disk (10) with channels (12, 12). It is characterized by adjustable vanes. This allows to change the property of the disk and thus treat liquids with different properties without disassembling the separator. Therefore there is no dead time during working time and an easy adjustment of the disk.

A method for the continuous processing of a product such as a vegetable or animal oil or fat. The processing occurs via a separation into two liquid phases and a solid phase. The method step includes processing the product, the processing occurring in a centrifuge arranged as a separator, the separator including a rotatable drum, a disk stack having risers arranged in the drum, a product feed having a feed tube, a first separator disk to discharge a lighter liquid phase from the drum, a second separator disk to discharge a heavier liquid phase from the drum, and a solids discharge opening to discharge a solids phase from the drum. A separation zone is formed between the lighter phase and the heavier phase in the separator.