Patent ID: 6852219

Claim:
A fluid separation and delivery apparatus for filtering a fluid from a fluid source and delivering a filtrate derived from said fluid from said fluid source to a first destination, and delivering a decantate derived from said fluid from said fluid source to a second destination comprising: a) a crossflow filter device comprising 1) a housing comprising a first inlet port for connecting to said fluid source, a first outlet port for directing said filtrate to said first destination, and a second outlet port for directing said decantate to said second destination, and a channel formed within said housing; and 2) a porous filter medium disposed within said housing, said porous filter medium consisting essentially of a magnetic material, and said porous filter medium partitioning said channel into a first passageway between said first inlet port of said housing and said second outlet port of said housing, and a second passageway in communication with said first outlet port of said housing; b) an inlet pump connected between said first inlet port of said filter device and said fluid source for pumping fluid at a flow rate of Q in into said filter device; and c) an outlet pump connected between said second outlet port of said filter device and said second destination for pumping said decantate at a flow rate of Q out out of said filter device to said second destination, wherein said outlet pump and said inlet pump are sized and controlled so that Q out is less than Q in and so that said filtrate flows from said first outlet port of said filter device to said first destination at a flow rate Q r equal to Q in −Q out .