Process technology for biological product manufacturing and downstream purification

1. A free-flow electrophoresis apparatus for separating a mixture into two or more fractions, at least one fraction containing a biological product, comprising:

at least one inlet and at least one outlet configured to permit continuous fluid flow between the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet;

at least one fluidic channel created between two parallel plates and configured to create an electric field gradient orthogonal to the direction of fluid flow;

electrode channels comprising an anodic electrode channel and a cathodic electrode channel, wherein the electrode channels are configured to be connected to the main separation channel by liquid contact through a wall gap positioned between the electrode channels and the main separation channel;

at least one electrode channel de-bubbler comprising at least one gas permeable and hydrophobic membrane or porous material configured to remove electrolysis bubbles near the point of generation by a vacuum system to create a bubble-free main separation channel;

at least one liquid circuit breaker configured to disconnect a liquid connected to voltage prior to interacting with at least one sensor or detector;

an active cooling system; and

at least one collection vessel.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a top portion of the electrode channels are sealed with at least one gas permeable and hydrophobic membrane in communication with a vacuum system to remove bubbles, and wherein the electrode channels are open at the bottom of the channels and configured to enable liquid contact of electrode solution with the main separation channel solution through a wall gap.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein wall gap is about 0.01 mm to about 0.25 mm.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the liquid circuit breaker comprises a pressurized vessel configured to maintain flow rate and creates droplets that break the circuit from the solution connected to voltage.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is an in-line sensor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least two free-flow electrophoresis apparatuses connected in series and operated in an isoelectric focusing mode, a zone electrophoresis mode, an isotachophoresis mode, or combinations thereof, to enable a staged purification.