Parallel separation system

1 . A method for achieving uniform flow in parallel fluid paths comprising:

providing a separation system comprising:

(i) a first fluid path including: (a) a first separation module in communication with (b) a first adjustable flow restrictor;

(ii) a second fluid path, positioned parallel to the first fluid path, including: (a) a second separation module in communication with (b) a second adjustable flow restrictor;

(iii) a pressure sensor for measuring pressure loss over the whole separation system;

(iv) a system flow meter for measuring flow rate over the whole separation system;

(v) a single pump for pumping fluid into both the first fluid path and the second fluid path, and

(vi) a system sensor positioned in an outlet of the separation system;

flowing fluid by operating the single pump;

measuring a characteristic of a flow through the whole separation system by the system sensor;

stopping fluid flow through the second fluid path and determining a first hydraulic resistance in the first fluid path by measuring pressure loss over the first fluid path, using the pressure sensor, and relating the measured pressure loss to a first flow rate of the first fluid path while the first fluid path is the only open fluid path and fluid flow through the second fluid path is stopped, and adjusting the first flow rate through the first fluid path to be a constant flow rate based on the system flow meter;

stopping fluid flow through the first fluid path and determining a second hydraulic resistance in the second fluid path by measuring pressure loss over the second fluid path, using the pressure sensor, and relating the measured pressure loss to a second flow rate of the second fluid path while the second fluid path is the only open fluid path and fluid flow through the first fluid path is stopped, and adjusting the second flow rate through the second fluid path to correspond to the constant flow rate of the first fluid path, based on the system flow meter;

identifying whether the first hydraulic resistance is higher than the second hydraulic resistance;

adjusting the first hydraulic resistance and the second hydraulic resistance to be the same, by adjusting the first adjustable flow restrictor positioned downstream of the first separation module and the second adjustable flow resistor positioned downstream of the second separation module sequentially and separately while stopping the fluid flow through the first fluid path and the second fluid path respectively, such that the first hydraulic resistance and the second hydraulic resistance is adjusted to be the same as the higher hydraulic resistance of the one fluid path of the first fluid path or the second fluid path identified to have the highest hydraulic resistance wherein the first flow rate and the second flow rate are kept at a same constant level across the first separation module and the second separation module during the adjusting, and the first hydraulic resistance and the second hydraulic resistance are synchronized; and

using the first separation module and the second separation module in parallel to separate the fluid provided by operating the single pump.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying and the adjusting is automated using a control system.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the separation module is a chromatography column.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the separation module is disposable.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a first path sensor in the first parallel fluid path and a second path sensor in the second parallel fluid path;

measuring, using the first and second path sensors, a characteristic fluid property in the first and second parallel fluid paths;

measuring the characteristic fluid property with the system sensor positioned in the outlet of the separation system;

comparing the characteristic fluid property in the first parallel fluid path to the characteristic fluid property in the second parallel fluid path; and

comparing the characteristic fluid property in the first and second parallel fluid paths to the characteristic fluid property measured by the system sensor to evaluate a performance of the separation system.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the evaluation of the separation system comprises measurement of residence time or chromatographic efficiency.

7 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the characteristic fluid property measured includes one or more of a fluid flow rate, a concentration, a conductivity, a pH, a force, a temperature, a change in an absorption, a reflection, or an extinction of light or energy.

8 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the comparison of the characteristic fluid property in the first and second parallel fluid paths to the characteristic fluid property measured by the system sensor qualifies, monitors, or documents the performance of the separation system.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the separation system further comprises a third fluid path, positioned parallel to the first and second fluid paths, passing through a third separation module and a third adjustable flow restrictor.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

measuring a third hydraulic resistance in the third fluid path by stopping fluid flow through the first and second fluid paths;

identifying whether the third hydraulic resistance is higher than the first or second hydraulic resistances; and

adjusting the third adjustable flow restrictor while fluid flow is stopped through the first fluid path and the second fluid path, wherein the first hydraulic resistance and the second hydraulic resistance each separately are equal to or higher than the third hydraulic resistance.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first adjustable flow restrictor is positioned downstream of the first separation module, and wherein the second adjustable flow restrictor is positioned downstream of the second separation module.