Replacement of Process Scale Chromatography by Counterflow Membrane Cascades

Edwin N. Lightfoot^1*, Barış Ünal²

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA.
²Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/abb.2014.511106                

Abstract

Invention and innovation, always important, become ever more so in these fast changing and competitive times. They are in addition primarily dependent upon the dynamic behavior of the human mind. Our underlying purpose here is to examine these creative processes and to provide means to make them more effective. This is a timely effort because our understanding of perception and its interpretation by the human brain is very rapidly advancing. Even experimental insights into mental activity can be determined with rapidly increasing effectiveness. The framework of our discussion is that of evolution dynamics, and the scientific bases are rapidly developing neural sciences. However the bulk of our discussion deals with a specific example: the replacement of process scale chromatography by membrane-mediated steady counterflow in downstream processing. We do this because inventive activities must depend upon intimate knowledge of the systems available.

Keywords

Invention, Innovation, Membrane, Chromatography

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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