Abstract: A vessel for containing a batch quantity of chemicals for preparation of physiologic, therapeutic, or irrigation solutions, such as dialysate. The vessel has a cap and a bottle shell having features that make the vessel suitable for mounting to an apparatus for automatically opening the vessel. In a preferred embodiment, the cap has a frangible membrane sealing the vessel. A protective overcap is removable mounted to the cap to protect the cap from puncture prior to installation on the opening apparatus.

Abstract: A filter (10) and a method of filtering fluids is provided. In the filter (10), a plurality of porous, hollow fibers (20) surround a central tube (18) and are contained by a housing (12). The ends of the assembly are potted with a sealant to define first and second sealant-impregnated ends (22, 24) having open flow paths through the hollow fibers (20) and central tube (18) from one end to the other. A manifold (16) defining a typically closed chamber covers one end of the assembly and another manifold (14) covers the other end and defines a fluid portal (26) to the tube (18) and hollow fibers (20). Fluid may be filtered by passing it through the pores of the hollow fibers (20) from the outside to the inside and draining fluid from the portal (26). Alternatively, filtering of a fluid may be accomplished by introducing fluid through the portal (26) and passing it through the pores of the hollow fibers (20) from inside to out.