Tangential Flow Filtration and Applications for Single-Use Hollow Fiber Filters

Tangential Flow Filtration (TFF) also known as Cross Flow Filtration involves the recirculation of the retentate across the surface of the membrane. This gentle cross flow feed acts to minimize membrane fouling, maintain a high filtration rate and provide higher product recovery. Tangential Flow Filtration is used in both microfiltration and ultrafiltration applications. Spectrum's Hollow Fiber Filter modules are particularly useful in Tangential Flow Filtration because processes can easily be scaled-up from small volume R&D applications to full-scale production. The same filtration conditions used to optimize R&D or lab scale filtration can be used in full-scale production when the length of the filtration flow path is maintained while filter's surface area is increased by adding more fibers to process large volumes. Spectrum's Single-Use Hollow Fiber Filters for Tangential Flow Filtration have significant advantages over traditional dead end filters and membrane cassette filters. Spectrum's hollow fiber membranes are anisotropic in structure. UF membranes have a high density skin layer for less fouling and a fairly open outer support structure for increased filtration rates. MF membranes have a retention defining microporous outer skin and a more open inner layer for increased filtration with higher recoveries. The filter housings are engineered to handle higher pressures. Spectrum offers 4 hollow fiber chemistries; modified Polyethersulfone (mPES), Mixed Cellulose Ester (ME), Polysulfone (PS) and Polyethersulphone (PES).
The table below shows common tangential flow filtration applications and the optimum membrane chemistries for each application.
Application | Membrane Selection | Membrane Material |
---|---|---|
Concentrate proteins, peptides, enzymes, recombinant proteins, and/or diafiltration (Buffer Exchange) of these products | 1, 3, 5, 10, 30, 50, 70,100kD | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone or (PS) Polysulfone |
Depyrogenation Water / Buffers | 3, 10kD | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone or (PS) Polysulfone |
Nano-Particle Coating, Buffer Exchange, Fractionating and/or Dewatering | 70,100,300,500,750kD, 0.2µm | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone or (PS) Polysuflone |
Concentrate and diafilter albumin (nominal MW 67kd) | 10kD | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone |
Concentration of monoclonal antibodies (155kd) and Buffer Exchange | 30kD | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone |
Envelope and Non-Envelope Virus Concentration and Diafiltration | 50, 70, 100, 300, 500, 750kD, 0.05µm | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone or (PS) Polysulfone |
Clarification of cell lysates, viral expressed cultures to recover product in permeate | 500, 750kD, 0.05, 0.1µm | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone, (PS) Polysulfone, or (ME) Mixed Ester |
Concentration and washing of Insect, Bacterial and/or mammalian cells | 750kD, 0.1, 0.2, 0.65µm | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone or (ME) Mixed Ester |
Continuous Bioreactor Perfusion of cell culture | 30, 50, 70, 100, 300, 500, 750kD, 0.2, 0.65µm | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone or (PS) Polysulfone |
SS (single stranded) or DS (double stranded) Nucleic Acids | 1, 3, 5, 10, 30, 50, 70,100kD | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone |
Washing Latex, Polystyrene and other diagnostic particles to remove un-reactives / unbound drug subst. | 500, 750kD, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.65µm | (mPES) Modified Polyethersulfone or (PS) Polysulfone, (ME) Mixed Ester |
(mPES) Hollow Fiber Filter Modules Product Number Key
Modified Polyethersulfone (mPES) is an advanced hydrophilic membrane filtration chemistry that provides higher flux rates for faster processing times, excellent selectivity for separation applications, and low protein binding for higher product yields than other membrane chemistries. Spectrum's new modified Polyethersulfone hollow fiber filters provide all the benefits of modified PES chemistry in fully encapsulated filter modules that are priced for Single-Use. With Spectrum's Single-Use mPES hollow fiber filters, total development and production costs are decreased through the combination of faster processing times, decreased labor costs associated with filter cleaning for re-use and a reduction in the use of costly WFI water. Low protein binding increases the product yield of each processing run. Single-Use eliminates the need for costly stainless steel systems and increases manufacturing flexibility. Spectrum's mPES filters are available in 1kD, 5kD, 10kD, 30kD, 70kD, 100kD, 300kD, 500kD and 750kD MWCOs and 0.2 µm and 0.65 µm pore sizes. All are available with 0.5mm fiber ID except .65µm. 0.65 µm is available with 0.75mm fiber ID. 3kD, 30kD, 10kD, 50kD, 100kD, 300kD, 500kD and 750kD are also available with 1.0mm fiber ID.
Chemistry | Fiber ID | MWCOs and Pore Sizes |
---|---|---|
Modified Polyethersulfone (mPES) | 0.5 mm 0.75 mm 1.0 mm |
1kD, 3kD, 5kD, 10kD, 30kD, 50kD, 70kD, 100kD, 300kD, 500kD, 750kD, and 0.2µm 0.65µm 3kD, 5kD, 10kD 30kD, 50kD, 70kD, 100kD, 300kD, 500kD and 750kD |
0.5 mm ID mPES filters are available in 7 filter module configurations with 3 effective lengths and 13 MWCOs and 1 pore sizes, 0.75mm ID mPES filters are available in 7 filter module configurations with 3 effective length and 1 pore size, and 1.0 mm ID mPES filters are available in 7 filter module configurations with 3 effective lengths and 10 MWCOs:
mPES Filter Types
MicroKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MidiKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MidiKros® TC Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MiniKros® Sampler Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MiniKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
KrosFlo® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
KrosFlo® Max Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
(ME) Hollow Fiber Filter Modules Product Number Key


Mixed Cellulose Ester (ME) is a hydrophilic membrane filtration chemistry that provides higher flux rates for faster processing times and low protein binding for higher product yields. ME filter chemistry is also highly biocompatible making it useful for filtration applications with cells and cell and virus lysates. All Spectrum's ME filters are microfiltration filters, available in 0.1um and 0.2um pore sizes. 0.1um is available with 0.63mm fiber ID and 7 filter module configuration. 0.2 um is available with 0.63 mm or 1.0mm fiber ID and 7 filter module configurations:
Chemistry | Fiber ID | Pore Sizes |
---|---|---|
Mixed Cellulose Ester (ME) | 0.63mm 1.0mm |
0.1µm and 0.2µm 0.2µm |
0.63 mm ID ME filters are available in 7 filter module configurations with 3 effective lengths and 2 pore size. 1.0mm ID ME filters are available in 7 filter module configurations with 3 effective lengths and 1 pore sizes.
ME Filter Types
MicroKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MidiKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MidiKros® TC Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MiniKros® Sampler Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MiniKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
KrosFlo® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
KrosFlo® Max Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
(PS) Hollow Fiber Filter Modules Product Number Key


Polysulfone (PS) is hydrophilic membrane chemistry with low protein binding properties. It is more resistant to acids, bases and surfactants than other membrane chemistries. PS filters are used in applications like nanoparticle processing and diafiltration. Spectrum's PS membranes come in 10kD, 50kD and 500kD Molecular Weight Cut-offs and 0.05µm pore size. All are 0.5mm fiber ID and are available in 7 filter module configurations:
Chemistry | Fiber ID | MWCOs and Pore Sizes |
---|---|---|
Polysulfone (PS) | 0.5 mm | 10kD, 50kD, 500kD and 0.05µm |
0.5mm PS filter are available in 7 module configurations with 3 effective lengths, three MWCOs and 1 pore size.
PS Filter Types
MicroKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MidiKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MidiKros® TC Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MiniKros® Sampler Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MiniKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
KrosFlo® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
KrosFlo® Max Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
(PES) Hollow Fiber Filter Modules Product Number Key


Polyethersulfone (PES) Hollow Fiber Filter Modules Single-Use Filters for Micro Tangential Flow Filtration Polyethersulfone (PES) is hydrophilic membrane chemistry with low protein binding properties. It is more resistant to acids, bases and surfactants than other membrane chemistries. Spectrum's PES membranes come in 0.2µm pore size. The 0.2µm pore size is available with 0.5mm and I.0mm ID. Both the 0.2µm 0.5mm and 1.0mm fibers are available in 7 filter module configurations.
Chemistry | Fiber ID | Pore Sizes |
---|---|---|
Polyethersulfone (PES) | 0.5mm 1.0mm |
0.2µm 0.2µm |
0.5mm ID PES filters are available in 7 filter module configuration with 3 effective lengths and 1 pore size. 1.0mm ID PES filters are available in 7 filter module configurations with 3 effective lengths and 1 pore sizes.
PES Filter Types
MicroKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MidiKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MidiKros® TC Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of small volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MiniKros® Sampler Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
MiniKros® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
KrosFlo® Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from
Parameters SearchComplete List
KrosFlo® Max Filter Modules
Designed for tangential flow filtration of volumes ranging from