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CFD simulation of an internal spin-filter: evidence of lateral migration and exchange flow through the mesh

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Abstract

In the present work Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was used to study the flow field and particle dynamics in an internal spin-filter (SF) bioreactor system. Evidence of a radial exchange flow through the filter mesh was detected, with a magnitude up to 130-fold higher than the perfusion flow, thus significantly contributing to radial drag. The exchange flow magnitude was significantly influenced by the filter rotation rate, but not by the perfusion flow, within the ranges evaluated. Previous reports had only given indirect evidences of this exchange flow phenomenon in spin-filters, but the current simulations were able to quantify and explain it. Flow pattern inside the spin-filter bioreactor resembled a typical Taylor-Couette flow, with vortices being formed in the annular gap and eventually penetrating the internal volume of the filter, thus being the probable reason for the significant exchange flow observed. The simulations also showed that cells become depleted in the vicinity of the mesh due to lateral particle migration. Cell concentration near the filter was approximately 50% of the bulk concentration, explaining why cell separation achieved in SFs is not solely due to size exclusion. The results presented indicate the power of CFD techniques to study and better understand spin-filter systems, aiming at the establishment of effective design, operation and scale-up criteria.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Brazilian funding agencies Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP) and Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Molecular Immunology, Havana, Cuba

    Alvio Figueredo-Cardero & Ernesto Chico

  2. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering Program, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Alvio Figueredo-Cardero & Ricardo A. Medronho

  3. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, COPPE, Chemical Engineering Program, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Leda R. Castilho

  4. UFRJ - EQ, Av. Horácio Macedo 2030, CT, Bloco E, 21941-914, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

    Ricardo A. Medronho

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  1. Alvio Figueredo-Cardero
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  2. Ernesto Chico
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  3. Leda R. Castilho
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  4. Ricardo A. Medronho
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Correspondence to Ricardo A. Medronho.

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Figueredo-Cardero, A., Chico, E., Castilho, L.R. et al. CFD simulation of an internal spin-filter: evidence of lateral migration and exchange flow through the mesh. Cytotechnology 61, 55–64 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10616-009-9242-8

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