- Email: [email protected]
Sterilising container
Table 4. Assessment of present and f,~ure markets for membranes.
5rate-of-the-art processes:
High
Water desalination; (Waste) water ~eatment
Production of ultra-pure water "
Artificial kidney, ~el cell separators
Medium
Natural gas treatment; Air separation
Down-stream processing of bio-prod~ "
Therapeutic devices for controlled drug release
Low
Dehydration of solvents
Bio-sensors
Diagnostic devices
High
Membrane reactors
Membrane bio-reactors
Artificial liver
Medium
Organic/organic separation
Recycling of effluents
mmune iso at on of ceils
Low
Organic vapour recovery
Affinity membranes
Emergingprocesses:
The application of membranes which are currently available is rapidly increasing in a range of industrial areas. Hybrid and integrated membrane processes play an increasingly important role. Another potential large-scale application of ion-conductive membranes is as separators in fuel cells and batteries.
The future Sales of membrane products will most likely continue to grow at an annual rate of around 8%. It is estimated that total sales should reach about US$5 billion in 2000. The sales of products in the membrane-based industry, such as modules, peripheral equipment and systems, are an order of magnitude higher.
Patents Sterilising c o n t a i n e r Applicant." Wagner G m b H
Fabrik
fiir
Medizinische Ger~ite, Germany The invention covers different ways of producing a filter-valve combination for a sterilising container. The device's construction permits the use of any type of filter, including flat filters, membrane filters, and volume filters with specific pore sizes. In particular, the invention covers finely porous filters which are guaranteed to sterilise the container's contents, even after long periods of storage. However, the patent says that such filters cannot quicHy compensate for the pressure differences in the steriliser. These differences can occur relatively quicklv which means that the container can be damaged. For this reason, the invention includes pressurecompensation valves in both directions. That is, from the inside to the outside and from the
Membrane Technology No. 113
For membrane science and technology to be attractive in the future there is also a need for both fundamental and applied research to improve the membranes and membrane processes which are available today. Considering the versatility of the biological membranes a multitude of new applications, especially in the biomedical area and in energy conversion seem possible.
Acknowledgment This article is based on a presentation, with the same title, given by the author at the Ravello Conference on 'New Frontiers for Catalytic Membrane Reactors and Other Membrane Systems', which was held during May 1999 in Ravello, Napoli, Italy.
outside to the inside of the container. These valves guarantee a quick reduction of the pressure differences during the sterilising process, but they seal the container during storage. The filter-valve combination is preferably arranged in an immovably fixed manner on the container's opening, for example, on an intermediate cover, or in the container's wall such that it does not come into contact with the container contents, The valve arrangement can be arranged in a holding frame surrounding the filter. The frame is then braced with the edge of the container's opening. Different production examples, especially those which use lip seals, are provided which interact with valve seat surfaces in circular arc-shaped chambers of the holding frame. The valve seat surfaces are preferably placed in valves in the holding flame which operate in both directions. It is possible, however, to provide a spatial separation during construction of the outlet valve as a condensate bleeder. Patent number: WO 99/27969 Inventor." P.B. Wagner Publication date: 10 June 1999
References 1. Lonsdale, H.K., J. Membrane Sci. 10, 81-181(1982). 2. Ho, W..S., Sirkar, K.K. (Eds.), Membrane Handbook, Chapman & Hall, New York (1992). 3. Baker, R.W, Cussley, E.L., Eykamp, W., Koros, W.I., Riley, R.L., Strathmann, H., Membrane Separation Systems. Noyes Data Corporation, Park Ridge, New Jersey, USA (1991).
For more information, contact: ProfessorHeiner Strathmann, University of Twente, Department of ChemicalTechnology,PO Box 217, NL-7500 AE Enschede,The Netherlands. Tel: +31 53 489 2951, Fax: +31 53 489 4611, Email: [email protected]
Method and device for "media gassing" Applicant." Forschungszentrum Jiilich GmbH; and Infors AG, Germany This patent describes a method or a device for "gassing media", and a gasification body, which meet high sterility requirements. When gas is introduced into reactors containing biological cultures or chemical reactants it frequently becomes necessary, especially in the case of liquids, for it to be introduced efficiently without coalescence of the gas bubbles that are being introduced. According to the invention the gas is introduced by way of a gasification body which is characterised in that it has pores of a uniform size, and a diameter of between 10 and 120 gin, with a low tolerance of less than 10%. The gasification body is configured as a gasification plate and is arranged at the bottom of a device. A flat, membrane filter with hydrophobic properties prevents the exit of polar solvents because the gasification body is configured in a hydrophilic manner.
5rate-of-the-art processes:
High
Water desalination; (Waste) water ~eatment
Production of ultra-pure water "
Artificial kidney, ~el cell separators
Medium
Natural gas treatment; Air separation
Down-stream processing of bio-prod~ "
Therapeutic devices for controlled drug release
Low
Dehydration of solvents
Bio-sensors
Diagnostic devices
High
Membrane reactors
Membrane bio-reactors
Artificial liver
Medium
Organic/organic separation
Recycling of effluents
mmune iso at on of ceils
Low
Organic vapour recovery
Affinity membranes
Emergingprocesses:
The application of membranes which are currently available is rapidly increasing in a range of industrial areas. Hybrid and integrated membrane processes play an increasingly important role. Another potential large-scale application of ion-conductive membranes is as separators in fuel cells and batteries.
The future Sales of membrane products will most likely continue to grow at an annual rate of around 8%. It is estimated that total sales should reach about US$5 billion in 2000. The sales of products in the membrane-based industry, such as modules, peripheral equipment and systems, are an order of magnitude higher.
Patents Sterilising c o n t a i n e r Applicant." Wagner G m b H
Fabrik
fiir
Medizinische Ger~ite, Germany The invention covers different ways of producing a filter-valve combination for a sterilising container. The device's construction permits the use of any type of filter, including flat filters, membrane filters, and volume filters with specific pore sizes. In particular, the invention covers finely porous filters which are guaranteed to sterilise the container's contents, even after long periods of storage. However, the patent says that such filters cannot quicHy compensate for the pressure differences in the steriliser. These differences can occur relatively quicklv which means that the container can be damaged. For this reason, the invention includes pressurecompensation valves in both directions. That is, from the inside to the outside and from the
Membrane Technology No. 113
For membrane science and technology to be attractive in the future there is also a need for both fundamental and applied research to improve the membranes and membrane processes which are available today. Considering the versatility of the biological membranes a multitude of new applications, especially in the biomedical area and in energy conversion seem possible.
Acknowledgment This article is based on a presentation, with the same title, given by the author at the Ravello Conference on 'New Frontiers for Catalytic Membrane Reactors and Other Membrane Systems', which was held during May 1999 in Ravello, Napoli, Italy.
outside to the inside of the container. These valves guarantee a quick reduction of the pressure differences during the sterilising process, but they seal the container during storage. The filter-valve combination is preferably arranged in an immovably fixed manner on the container's opening, for example, on an intermediate cover, or in the container's wall such that it does not come into contact with the container contents, The valve arrangement can be arranged in a holding frame surrounding the filter. The frame is then braced with the edge of the container's opening. Different production examples, especially those which use lip seals, are provided which interact with valve seat surfaces in circular arc-shaped chambers of the holding frame. The valve seat surfaces are preferably placed in valves in the holding flame which operate in both directions. It is possible, however, to provide a spatial separation during construction of the outlet valve as a condensate bleeder. Patent number: WO 99/27969 Inventor." P.B. Wagner Publication date: 10 June 1999
References 1. Lonsdale, H.K., J. Membrane Sci. 10, 81-181(1982). 2. Ho, W..S., Sirkar, K.K. (Eds.), Membrane Handbook, Chapman & Hall, New York (1992). 3. Baker, R.W, Cussley, E.L., Eykamp, W., Koros, W.I., Riley, R.L., Strathmann, H., Membrane Separation Systems. Noyes Data Corporation, Park Ridge, New Jersey, USA (1991).
For more information, contact: ProfessorHeiner Strathmann, University of Twente, Department of ChemicalTechnology,PO Box 217, NL-7500 AE Enschede,The Netherlands. Tel: +31 53 489 2951, Fax: +31 53 489 4611, Email: [email protected]
Method and device for "media gassing" Applicant." Forschungszentrum Jiilich GmbH; and Infors AG, Germany This patent describes a method or a device for "gassing media", and a gasification body, which meet high sterility requirements. When gas is introduced into reactors containing biological cultures or chemical reactants it frequently becomes necessary, especially in the case of liquids, for it to be introduced efficiently without coalescence of the gas bubbles that are being introduced. According to the invention the gas is introduced by way of a gasification body which is characterised in that it has pores of a uniform size, and a diameter of between 10 and 120 gin, with a low tolerance of less than 10%. The gasification body is configured as a gasification plate and is arranged at the bottom of a device. A flat, membrane filter with hydrophobic properties prevents the exit of polar solvents because the gasification body is configured in a hydrophilic manner.