Patent ID: 11957998
Assignee: PNEUMATIC SCALE CORPORATION
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  C | IPC B  C

Claim 20:
21. Apparatus comprising:
a structure configured to be releasably positioned in a rotatable centrifuge bowl,
wherein the structure when positioned within the bowl is operative to separate within an interior area of the structure, cells in a cell culture material into concentrate and centrate,
wherein the structure in an operative position includes
an upper disc shape portion,
a cylindrical core that extends vertically below the upper disc shape portion,
an outer wall configured to be in operative engagement with the bowl, wherein the outer wall
extends in fluid tight operative engagement with the upper disc shape portion,
extends in surrounding relation of the core,
has a truncated cone shape with a smaller inside radius at an end of the structure disposed vertically away from the upper disc shape portion,
bounds a separation chamber within the structure that extends in surrounding relation of the core and radially intermediate of the core and the outer wall,

a vertically extending cell culture material feed tube,
a vertically extending centrate discharge tube,
a vertically extending concentrate discharge tube
wherein the upper disc shape portion and the outer wall are rotatable in operative engagement with the bowl about a vertical axis, wherein the feed tube, centrate discharge tube and the concentrate discharge tube are coaxial with the vertical axis,
wherein the upper disc shape portion includes
a centrate centripetal pump chamber, wherein the centrate centripetal pump chamber is in fluid communication with the separation chamber through at least one centrate opening,
a concentrate centripetal pump chamber, wherein the concentrate centripetal pump chamber is in fluid communication with the separation chamber through at least one concentrate channel, wherein the at least one concentrate channel
includes a concentrate channel inlet, wherein the concentrate channel inlet is disposed radially outward in the separation chamber from the at least one centrate opening,
extends radially and fluidly between the at least one concentrate inlet and the concentrate centripetal pump chamber,

a centrate centripetal pump, wherein the centrate centripetal pump is disposed coaxially about the feed tube in the centrate centripetal pump chamber and is in fluid communication with the centrate discharge tube,
a concentrate centripetal pump, wherein the concentrate centripetal pump is disposed coaxially about the feed tube in the concentrate centripetal pump chamber, is positioned vertically above the centrate centripetal pump and is in fluid communication with the concentrate discharge tube,

wherein rotation of the bowl is operative to cause the upper disc shape portion and the outer wall to rotate relative to each of the feed tube, the centrate discharge tube, the concentrate discharge tube, the centrate centripetal pump and the concentrate centripetal pump,
wherein each concentrate channel includes a channel portion that extends intermediate of the respective concentrate channel inlet and the concentrate centripetal pump chamber,
wherein the channel portion gradually and continuously increases in cross-sectional area perpendicular to a direction of concentrate flow within the respective concentrate channel portion with corresponding increased radial proximity to the axis.