CHROMATOGRAPHY BEADS CONTAINER LIFTING SYSTEM

Abstract

Disclosed is an equipment including a container filled with chromatography beads for capturing a product present in a process liquid or to prepare them for subsequent use. The equipment also includes a supporting frame standing on the ground and providing support for the container such that the container is spaced above the ground. Outside the container there is provided a lifting system fastened to and supported by the supporting frame and fastened to a part of the container such that the part of the container can be raised by the lifting system relative to the supporting frame and another part of the container. At least part of the lifting system extends aside the container from the bottom to the top of the container.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. An equipment comprising: a container designed to be filled with chromatography beads and provided with a container top wall; wherein the container contains a filtering wall adapted to the size of the beads for retaining the beads while allowing liquid to pass, and at least one inlet port and at least one outlet port for the supply and extraction, respectively, of liquids and beads; a supporting frame standing on the ground and providing support for the container such that the container is spaced above the ground; wherein the container and supporting frame are assembled as an integral, rigid, compact equipment for selective positioning on the floor of a human accessible process room; outside the container a lifting system fastened to and supported by the supporting frame and fastened to the container top wall, the lifting system having a lowered and a raised position such that said container top wall is raised by the lifting system in the raised position relative to the supporting frame; the lifting system is provided onboard the equipment; wherein at least part of the lifting system extends aside the container from the bottom to the top of the container; and wherein the lifting system comprises at least one upward extending elongated lifting actuator, of linear type, fastened to the supporting frame at the one longitudinal end and fastened to the container top wall at the opposite longitudinal end such that operation of the lifting actuator causes said raising of the container top wall.

19. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the container is filled with chromatography beads.

20. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the container is a container for capturing a product present in a process liquid, designed as a “packed bed” chromatography column, or wherein the container is a container designed as a preparation vessel to process or utilize the chromatography beads to prepare them.

21. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein axial elongation or extension of the lifting actuator causes said raising of the container top wall and wherein the lifting actuator is of electric or hydraulic type.

22. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the lifting system is distributed around the container, in top view.

23. Equipment according to claim 22, wherein the lifting system comprises at least three lifting actuators which are provided at mutual angular spacing, in top view, each fastened to a relevant adjacent location of said container top wall to provide a static balanced support of said container top wall by the three lifting actuators.

24. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the lifting actuator internally comprises a measuring means to measure the axial extension or expansion of the lifting actuator and wherein the measuring means comprises a reference element, concentric inside the piston and/or piston rod and of axial linear type and axially extending at least the complete lifting actuator stroke length.

25. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the lifting actuator comprises an internal supply channel extending in axial direction and connected to the space in which the piston displaces during extension or expansion of the lifting actuator, to supply liquid to said space and wherein the internal channel is provided by a gap between two concentric located axial extending walls of the lifting actuator.

26. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the supporting frame is U- or V-like shaped in top view.

27. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the container is located inside the outer circumference of the supporting frame, in top view.

28. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the container comprises one or more of: a mixer to mix the container contents; a filter plate; a torus like cavity containing the beads between concentric, axial filter walls.

29. Equipment according to claim 28, wherein one or more of the mixer, filter plate, axial container wall, torus like cavity are fastened to the container top wall by externally accessible fastening means, to be selectively released from the container top wall.

30. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the complete container suspends from the lifting system in the raised position.

31. Equipment according to claim 19, wherein the filtering wall comprises at least two layers of woven wires of stainless steel, directly laid on top of each other providing a united assembly, each layer has a pore size at least 20% different from the immediately adjacent layer; a layer is directly exposed to the beads in the vessel.

32. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the pores of the filtering wall have a pore size, defined by the diameter of the largest rigid sphere that can pass the pore, not more than 500 micrometre, which is equal to 0.5 millimetre.

33. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the supporting frame has a horizontal base, provided by a U- or V-shaped space frame, carrying at its downward facing side the feet or wheels and at its upward facing side the container is located and the container fits between the legs of the space frame, in axial view.

34. Equipment according to claim 23, wherein the lifting actuators are distributed, in axial view, around the axial outer wall of the container, such that the lifting actuators surround or envelope the container, with close radial spacing.

35. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the mounting of the lifting actuator at low level to the supporting frame is free standing.

36. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the mounting of the lifting actuator at low level to the supporting frame is like an outrigger.

37. Equipment according to claim 18, wherein the mounting of the lifting actuator at low level to the supporting frame is cantilevered.

Description

NON-LIMITING EXAMPLES

[0038] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated and form a part of the specification, illustrate presently preferred embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. Shown is in:

[0039] FIG. 1-3 examples of a chromatography column of radial type in sectional side view;

[0040] FIG. 4 the column of FIG. 3 in top view;

[0041] FIG. 5 another column in perspective view from below, partly cut away;

[0042] FIG. 6 a perspective view of a torus shaped filter bed;

[0043] FIG. 7-8 a perspective view of two examples of the container mounted in a wheeled frame;

[0044] FIG. 9A-C different arrangements of linear actuators and guardrails, in top view;

[0045] FIG. 10 an example of the hydraulic circuit;

[0046] FIG. 11-12 a sectional side view of the hydraulic actuator;

[0047] FIG. 13-18 possible lifting positions of the container;

[0048] FIG. 19-21 alternatives to FIG. 7-8, in perspective view.

[0049] The following reference numbers are used: container 1 (either column or vessel); cylindrical housing wall 2; axial housing end plate (also called top wall or lid) 3; seal 4; liquid inlet 5; liquid outlet 6; packed bed 7; inner flow channel 8; packed bed fill opening 9; connector 10; fill tube 11 for packed bed; seal 12; seal 13; outer flow channel 14; core 15; inner frit 16; outer frit 17; axial bed end plate 18; distribution space 19; collector space 20; outflow channel 21; liquid outlet 22; axial housing end plate (also called bottom wall) 28; bed height H; outer frit radius R1; inner frit radius R2; axial direction arrow A (FIG. 3). The radial direction is perpendicular to the axial direction.

[0050] Each of the containers 1 (e.g. liquid chromatography columns) shown in FIG. 1-5 comprises: a housing, of cylindrical shape, defining a chamber therein and including a removable axial end plate 3 of circular shape; a first (outer) and second (inner) porous frits 16, 17 or membranes of cylindrical shape; a bed 7 or packing of particulate chromatographic separation material positioned intermediate said porous frits; optionally an axially extending core 15. The axially extending cylindrical external housing wall 2, first 17 and second 16 frit and core are coaxial.

[0051] The torus shaped packed bed 7 (schematically illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein a wedge shaped piece has been taken out for clarity) allows the radial flow (according to the arrows in FIG. 6) of process liquid through the column 1, from the outer frit 17 to the inner frit 16.

[0052] FIG. 7 illustrates the container 1 as a preparation vessel, supported by a wheeled frame 31 (U-shaped in top view). Above the top wall 3 a drive motor 24 is present from which a drive shaft 25 extends vertically downward towards mixing vanes 26 at the bottom of the vessel, to mix the vessel contents. Below the mixing vanes the bottom filter plate 27 is present just above the vessel bottom wall 28. The control box 29 at the back contains the control unit and the hydraulic valves to control the three from the frame 31 upward extending linear actuators (only two visible) from which the container 1 is suspended. The hydraulic motor (not shown) is located remote from the vessel. The mounting of the linear lifting actuators 30 at low level, i.e. to the supporting frame, is free standing (i.e. like an outrigger or cantilevered).

[0053] In FIG. 8 the container is e.g. a chromatography column. To ensure stable and accurate vertical movement of the vessel 1 or part of it by the lifting system, FIG. 9A applies two linear actuators 30 and two guard rails 32, FIG. 9B three linear actuators 30 and FIG. 9C six linear actuators. FIGS. 9B and 9C apply no guard rails 32. The vessel of FIG. 9C is right angled in top view, could be square (see dotted line) having e.g. four actuators 30. FIG. 9A could apply four actuators and no guard rails 32. Different combinations of actuators 30 and rails 32 are feasible.

[0054] In FIG. 10 three actuators 30 are controlled in synchronism by control valves 33, individually controlled by control box 29, receiving individual actuator position feed back through sensor line 35. The valves 33 control the supply of pressurised liquid from reservoir 34 to the individual actuators 30.

[0055] In FIG. 11 (completely retracted/partly extended) the linear actuator 30 has an extension rod 36 integral with piston 37 separating an extension chamber 38 from retraction chamber 39. During extension of the rod 36, liquid enters chamber 38 at 40 and leaves chamber 39 at 41. The displacement of piston 37 along actuator internal ruler 42, penetrating piston 42, is detected by sensor 43. Chamber 38, penetrating chamber 39, enveloping ruler 42, rod 36 and extending at opposite sides of piston 37, has a vent 44 at the distal rod end.

[0056] FIG. 12A-B show a leg 48 of the U-shaped frame 31 in section. The hydraulic actuator 30 is mounted on top and the hydraulic supply and exhaust lines extend in the interior of the leg 48 and connect to the lower end of the hydraulic cylinder 46. The flow direction of the hydraulic fluid inside the annular gap 47 of the double walled hydraulic cylinder is indicated by the arrows. FIG. 12A illustrates the start of extension of the piston rod 36 from the fully retracted state. FIG. 12B illustrates the start of retraction of the piton rod from an intermediate extended state. FIG. 12B also illustrates that the upper part 3 of the container has been lifted from the lower part by the hydraulic actuator through the bracket 49.

[0057] In FIGS. 13 and 15 the container 1 of FIG. 7 is in the lower operating position, actuators 30 fully retracted (FIG. 13) or extended (FIG. 15), in FIG. 14 in the upper operating position, actuators 30 partly extended. By extension, the actuators 30 lift the complete container 1 (FIG. 14) or only the mixing vanes 26 and associated motor 24 and shaft 25 (FIG. 15). In FIG. 16 the top wall 3 (after being released from the container 1) is lifted by the fully extended actuators 30. In FIG. 17 the wall 2 (after being released from the bottom wall 28) is lifted, leaving the outer frit 17 unlifted. In FIG. 18 the bottom wall 28 and bottom filter plate 27 remain unlifted.

[0058] The measures disclosed herein can be taken together individually in any other conceivable combination and permutation to provide an alternative to the invention. Included are also technical equivalents and genuses or generalizations of the revealed measures. A measure of an example is also generally applicable within the scope of the invention. A measure disclosed herein, e.g. of an example, can be readily generalized for inclusion in a general definition of the invention, for example to be found in a patent claim.