Method and apparatus for electrodecantation and its application for the separation of materials

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE ELECTRO-DECANTATION OF PROTEIN MIXTURES COMPRISING FEEDING THE PROTEIN MIXTURE TO AN ELECTRO-DECANTATION APPARATUS HAVING A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS ALTERNATE ONES OF WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY FILLED WITH SEMI-PERMEABLE MEMBRANCE STRIPS, AND THE REMAINING ONES CONTAINING A BUFFER, THE PH OF WHICH DIFFERS FROM THE ISO-ELECTRIC POINT OF SAID MIXTURE, CIRCULATING THE BUFFER AMONG THE REMAINING COMPARTMENTS, COOLING SAID BUFFER DURING CIRCULATION, FEEDING SAID MIXTURE TO THE LOWER PART OF EACH OF THE MEMBRANCE CONTAINING COMPARTMENTS FROM AN ADJACENT MEMBRANCE CONTAINING COMPARTMENT IN SERIES, AND PASSING A DIRECT CURRENT THROUGH A SOLUTION OF THE MIXTURE OF PROTEINS TO BE SEPARATED AND THUS CAUSING THE PROTENIN IN THE MIXTURE TO MGRATE AND BECOME CONCENTRATED ON THE SURFACES OF THE SEMI-PERME ABLE MEMBRANES AND TO SINK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE MEMBRANE CONTAINING COMPARTMENTS WHILE THE OTHER PROTEIN IN SAID MIXTURE REMAINS IN SOLUTION.