Simulation and Experimental Study of Hydrodynamics in Ultra Filtration Tangential Flow Filtration Devices

Tangential flow filtration (TFF) devices containing ultrafiltration (UF) membranes are widely used for protein concentration, buffer exchange, and final formulation of therapeutics and vaccines.  These devices are designed to maximize the efficiency of filtration separations and can involve complex fluid pathways including flow channels upstream and downstream of the UF membrane occupied by screen supports. They can also be operated with different flow patterns including co-current, countercurrent, cross, and divergent flow, adding another layer of process optimization. 

In this study, GeoDict software was used to simulate the flow of water in commercially available UF-TFF devices.  The device geometry was imported from CAD into GeoDict, which was used to calculate volumetric flow rates, flow distributions, and pressure gradients within the devices over a wide range of operating conditions.  The macroscopic simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental data, with the microscopic simulation results providing additional insights into the fluid dynamics within UF-TFF devices.