METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FILTRATION

摘要

A system for filtration of matter from a liquid suspension, for instance blood, through a membrane uses a rotor (22) within a concentric shell (24) rotating with a surface velocity which, together with the rotor-shell gap and suspension viscosity, establishes vigorous vortex cells about the rotor. At least one of the rotor and shell surfaces include a filter membrane (40). Tangential velocity components at the membrane surface constantly sweep the membrane surface to limit cell deposition tendencies while constantly replenishing the medium to be filtered. The vortex cells are established along the length of the membrane despite the constant extraction of filtrate and the resultant change in physical characteristics of the suspension.