Patent ID: 8708159

Claim:
A system for processing microspheres comprising: a vessel containing a suspension of solidified microspheres in a suspending medium comprising a solvent; a hydrocyclone (HC-1) having a fluid inlet, a first fluid outlet and a second fluid outlet, wherein said fluid inlet is in fluid communication with said vessel and receives said suspension, said second fluid outlet discharges a flow (flow A) of said suspension having an increased concentration of said microspheres relative to said suspension in said vessel, and said first fluid outlet discharges a flow (flow B) of said suspending medium having a lower concentration of said microspheres relative to said suspension in said vessel; and, a hollow fiber filter or a wet sieve having an inlet in fluid communication with said second fluid outlet, said system further comprising a second hydrocyclone (HC-2) having a fluid inlet, a first fluid outlet and a second fluid outlet, wherein said fluid inlet is in fluid communication with said first fluid outlet of hydrocyclone HC-1, said HC-2 second fluid outlet discharges a flow (flow C) of said suspension having an increased concentration of said microspheres relative to said flow B discharged from said first fluid outlet of hydrocyclone HC-1, and wherein said system combines said flow A from said HC-1 second fluid outlet and said flow C from said HC-2 second fluid outlet for fluid communication to said inlet of said hollow fiber filter or said wet sieve.