A liquid is made to flow into a filter case from a tangential direction at any point on a side surface of the filter case and produces a swirling flow. Bubbles collected in a center of the swirling flow are retained by a retainer plate, thereby removing the bubbles from the liquid. A filter element filters the liquid from which the bubbles were removed.

A fluid filtration system includes a fluid storage vessel such as a bioreactor, a filter housing including a filter element disposed therein, a pump coupled between the fluid storage vessel and the filter housing, and a flow diverter disposed between the pump and the filter housing. The pump is configured to move fluid from the fluid storage vessel through the filter element, and the flow diverter is configured for selectively directing fluid received from the pump to the first or second end of the filter housing. In a first mode of operation, the flow diverter directs flow through the filter housing in a first direction, while in a second mode of operation, the flow diverter directs flow through the filter housing in a second direction opposite the first direction.

A system which separates suspended substances from a liquid with a cyclone filter assembly that is rotationable symmetrically about a longitudinal axis. The invention is has a filter element with a filter wall configured as a single-layered perforated sheet with perforation holes having a hole diameter ranging from 5 .Math.m to 80 .Math.m inclusive at a radially outer filter wall surface with sensors for measuring a pressure difference between the filtrate chamber and a separation. A respective shut-off valve is located along first and second discharge lines, and a control actuates at least one of motor and at least one shut-off valve as a function of the pressure difference.

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.

A fluid filtration assembly includes a filter housing having a first end for fluid connection with a fluid storage vessel. A filter cartridge is disposable within the filter housing, and a plunger pump is coupled at a second end of the filter housing. The plunger pump includes a housing having a rigid portion and a flexible portion. The flexible portion has a plunger-engaging portion for coupling to the plunger of an actuator. The flexible portion selectively movable with respect to the rigid portion via the actuator. The filter cartridge can be a hollow fiber filter. The plunger pump can be configured to induce alternating tangential flow in at least a portion of the assembly. The fluid filtration assembly can be provided as a disposable single-use arrangement.

A normal flow filtration system having a housing with one or more filters contained within a bowl and attached to the outlet of the system. Liquid enters the bowl, contacts the surfaces of the one or more filters. Impurities are trapped in the filter and the filtered liquid flows through to the outlet. Parameter(s) such as flow rate, transmembrane pressure drop and/or time are measured and when met, filtration ceases. A backflushing occurs through the filter(s) so as to remove the impurities from the filter. This backwashed material is directed to an outlet of the bowl that is connected to a drain. Additionally a port formed in the side of the housing adjacent an outer surface of the filter(s) can be used to provide a lateral washing of the filter(s). The system is then recirculated in a downstream manner to reestablish equilibrium and filtration is then restarted.

The invention relates to a device (10) for separating a heterogeneous mixture of matter into at least one retentate and one filtrate, comprising a housing (12) which is subdivided into a chamber for the heterogeneous mixture (20) of matter having at least one feed (14) and a filtrate chamber (21) having at least one outlet (16), a filter unit (22) which comprises at least one filter element (24), wherein the filter unit (22) is arranged in the chamber for the heterogeneous mixture (20) of matter, and a rinsing system (46, 47, 50, 50′) for cleaning the filter unit (22),
wherein the rinsing system (46, 47, 50, 50′) has at least one rinsing port (46, 47) which is constructed so as to introduce a stream, oriented tangentially to the shell surface (54), of a first washing medium into the chamber for the heterogeneous mixture (20) of matter. The invention further relates to a method for cleaning a filter unit.

There is disclosed a liquid filter system that includes a liquid filter apparatus configured to self-clean without removal of the filter apparatus from the filter system. The filter apparatus uses both a filter media for filtering solids as well as a spin motion imparted to fluid being filtered so that centrifugal force can remove solids from the liquid being filtered. The liquid filter system also includes a gas pulse nozzle in fluid communication with the liquid filter apparatus and is configured to flow gas into the filter media to expel water and debris trapped in the filter media without removing the filter media from the filter system.

A fluid filtration assembly includes a filter housing having a first end for fluid connection with a fluid storage vessel. A filter cartridge is disposable within the filter housing, and a plunger pump is coupled at a second end of the filter housing. The plunger pump includes a housing having a rigid portion and a flexible portion. The flexible portion has a plunger-engaging portion for coupling to the plunger of an actuator. The flexible portion selectively movable with respect to the rigid portion via the actuator. The filter cartridge can be a hollow fiber filter. The plunger pump can be configured to induce alternating tangential flow in at least a portion of the assembly. The fluid filtration assembly can be provided as a disposable single-use arrangement.

A filter assembly includes a canister housing closable by a lid and containing a removable and replaceable filter element cartridge. The lid is part of the filter element cartridge and a single unitary component therewith, such that removal of the filter element cartridge also removes the lid, and replacement of the filter element cartridge also replaces the lid.