Laboratory tangential-flow processing
Hollow-fiber and cassette formats for laboratory concentration, diafiltration, clarification, fractionation and scale-down process development.
Performance must be confirmed for the complete membrane, flow path, pump, holder, tubing and operating strategy
Basic information
Tangential flow filtration recirculates feed parallel to the membrane surface while permeate passes through the membrane. Crossflow helps limit surface accumulation compared with dead-end filtration and supports repeated concentration and diafiltration steps in one fluid path.
A straight-lumen flow path for low-shear clarification, microfiltration and ultrafiltration concentration.
Reference process scale 300 mL-4 L
Defined screens and flow channels for ultrafiltration, diafiltration and scalable laboratory process development.
Reference process scale 200 mL-50 L
Selection guide
Hollow fibers provide a straight flow path and are often selected for low-shear clarification or concentration. Flat-sheet cassettes provide defined screen and channel options for ultrafiltration and scale-down work. Selection should consider target size, viscosity, solids, shear sensitivity, minimum recirculation volume, membrane area, pump range, pressure monitoring and the intended scale-up platform.
End-user applications
Match membrane format, rating, area and operating conditions to the target molecule, feed properties and intended scale-up platform.
Protein, antibody, nucleic-acid, viral-vector and nanoparticle concentration.
Diafiltration, desalting and formulation-buffer exchange.
Cell harvest, clarification and removal of suspended material.
Fractionation of macromolecules by pore size or MWCO.
Laboratory screening of membranes and operating conditions.
Scale-down studies supporting transfer to pilot or production systems.
Quotation preparation
A complete RFQ should identify the target, membrane format, rating, area, hold-up, operating strategy and scale-up requirements for technical review.
Provide sample matrix, target, particle or molecular size, concentration and viscosity.
State clarification, concentration factor, diafiltration volumes, fractionation or recovery target.
Define feed volume, minimum recirculation volume, required area and residual-volume limit.
Select hollow fiber or cassette, media, pore size or MWCO, and screen or channel geometry.
Identify pump, pressure sensors, tubing, holder, reservoir and all connector requirements.
Provide flow, pressure, temperature, shear, cleaning or single-use and scale-up expectations.
Configuration matrix
Configuration note. TFF performance depends on the complete membrane, flow path, pump, holder, tubing and operating strategy. Membrane area is not a stand-alone scale claim; confirm minimum working volume, pressure, shear and recovery with representative feed.
| Product type | Subcategory | Media | Pore size / MWCO | Filtration area | Process scale | Connectors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollow Fiber | TFF - Hollow Fiber Microfiltration | Modified PES | 0.1 / 0.2 / 0.45 / 0.65 µm | 28 / 56 / 118 / 236 / 471 cm² | 300 mL-4 L | Female / Male Luer; 3/8 in. HB; 1/2 in., 1-1/2 in. or 2 in. TC |
| TFF - Hollow Fiber Ultrafiltration | Modified PES | 50 / 100 / 300 / 500 / 750 kDa | 28 / 56 / 118 / 236 / 471 cm² | 300 mL-4 L | Female / Male Luer; 3/8 in. HB; 1/2 in., 1-1/2 in. or 2 in. TC | |
| Cassette | Tight Screen | RC / PES | 1 / 3 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 30 / 50 / 100 / 300 / 500 / 1000 kDa | 100 / 200 cm² / 0.11 m² | 200-2,000 mL / 5-50 L | Compatible cassette holder / manifold |
| Coarse Screen | RC / PES | 1 / 3 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 30 / 50 / 100 / 300 / 500 / 1000 kDa | 100 / 200 cm² / 0.11 m² | 200-2,000 mL / 5-50 L | Compatible cassette holder / manifold | |
| Open / High-Viscosity Screen | RC / PES | 1 / 3 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 30 / 50 / 100 / 300 / 500 / 1000 kDa | 100 / 200 cm² / 0.11 m² | 200-2,000 mL / 5-50 L | Compatible cassette holder / manifold | |
| Suspended / Open Channel | RC / PES | 1 / 3 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 30 / 50 / 100 / 300 / 500 / 1000 kDa | 100 / 200 cm² / 0.11 m² | 200-2,000 mL / 5-50 L | Compatible cassette holder / manifold | |
| Custom Screen | RC / PES | 1 / 3 / 5 / 8 / 10 / 30 / 50 / 100 / 300 / 500 / 1000 kDa | Configuration-dependent | Configuration-dependent | Custom holder / manifold interface |
| Selection factor | Hollow-fiber starting point | Cassette starting point |
|---|---|---|
| Flow path | Straight lumen path; useful where gentle handling and low channel complexity are priorities | Defined flat-sheet channels and screen options for controlled crossflow |
| Primary duty | Microfiltration clarification or UF concentration with modified PES | UF concentration and diafiltration with RC or PES |
| Scale-up basis | Fiber lumen, length, number of fibers, area and shear rate | Membrane chemistry, MWCO, screen type, area, flux and pressure |
Next step. Start with the sample and analytical or separation objective, then define retention, chemistry, volume, equipment interface and documentation. Screen representative samples before approving the final product code.
| Step | Decision | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Define sample matrix, target species, solids and process objective | User requirement summary |
| 2 | Select device family, membrane or depth media and rating | Candidate configuration |
| 3 | Confirm volume, area, hold-up, pressure, rotor or flow-path limits | Equipment-fit review |
| 4 | Test recovery, throughput, compatibility and analytical background | Qualified operating window |
| 5 | Approve packaging, sterility, documentation and acceptance criteria | Release for quotation and supply |
Depending on product and configuration, the documentation package may include lot identification, certificate of quality or conformity, material information, nominal physical properties, sterilization status, integrity or retention data, operating limits and packaging information. Only claims contained in approved supplier documentation and confirmed for the selected configuration should be transferred to a customer specification.
Confirm the feed, target, process objective, format, membrane, pore size or MWCO, area, hold-up, pump, pressure monitoring, connections and scale-up expectations before submitting the final RFQ.