Tangential Flow Capsule Filters

SepraPor® XFC Hollow Fiber Capsule Filters by Meissner Corporation are tangential flow filtration (TFF) capsules available either as a standalone filter or as part of a single-use assembly. They support both microfiltration and ultrafiltration applications and are offered in a range of lengths and diameters for ease of scalability from benchtop evaluation through full-scale production.

SepraPor® XFC filters are used in biopharmaceutical applications including bacterial, mammalian, and yeast cell concentration; high-productivity harvest; and continuous cell culture perfusion. The ultrafiltration versions are also suited for diafiltration and purification of plasmid DNA.

SepraPor® XFC filters are available with filter diameters ranging from ⅜” (0.95 cm) to 4¼” (10.8 cm) and fluid path lengths of 12″ (30 cm) or 24″ (60 cm), with effective filtration areas from 0.12 ft² up to 47 ft² depending on size. Retention ratings include 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 µm for microfiltration, and 10, 30, 50, 100, 300, 500, and 750 kDa for ultrafiltration. The operating temperature range is 32°F to 100°F (0°C to 38°C), with a maximum short-term temperature of 122°F (50°C) for cleaning. Maximum transmembrane and feed pressures vary by retention rating, ranging from 10–65 psig depending on the membrane selected.

SepraPor® filters offer discrete separation between retention ratings with a narrow pore size distribution, giving unambiguous performance for filter testing and selection. Ultrafiltration membranes are characterized using a 3 Mw marker MWCO assignment method, and every membrane lot’s micron rating is confirmed by bubble point and flux analysis for lot-to-lot consistency. Each filter is integrity tested before release. The filters can be autoclaved or gamma sterilized, offering flexibility for different sterilization requirements (sterility validation is currently available only for the M10, M20, and M40 microfiltration filters).

The hollow fibers, capsule housing, and permeate/retentate ports are made of polysulfone, with a polypropylene fiber bundle netting and epoxy fiber encapsulation. For autoclaving, gentle temperature and pressure ramps not exceeding 1°C (1.8°F) per minute are recommended, with sterilization at 121°C and 1 bar (15 psi) for a minimum of 30 minutes. Microfiltration capsule filters may instead be gamma irradiated once at 25–40 kGy; irradiated filters should not subsequently be autoclaved or steamed-in-place. SepraPor® filters are supplied with a Certificate of Conformance, and Meissner’s Quality Assurance staff audits the manufacturing process against its Quality Management System.

SepraPor® XFC filters can be incorporated as part of a OneTouch® single-use assembly, supporting integrated fluid path designs for bioprocess workflows. Additional product compatibility details are available in the SepraPor® Green Docs at www.meissner.com/green-docs.