Electrohydrodynamic spraying

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10207276-B2
Application number	US-201514926673-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2015
Priority date	Apr 19, 2010
Publication date	Feb 19, 2019
Grant date	Feb 19, 2019

Abstract

A small area electrostatic aerosol collector combines electrostatic collection of aerosol particles and electrohydrodynamic spraying of fluid so that a sample collected electrostatically can have fluid applied thereto. The fluid may assist with disaggregation and/or desalinization of biological material collected onto a sample substrate. A controller associated with the collector may control an electrostatic charge device and a spraying device such that the charge device and spraying device may operate in alternating fashion, or the charge device and spraying device may operate simultaneously. Further, mechanical systems are provided, for the disaggregation of particulate clusters collected onto a sample substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrostatic aerosol collector comprising:
a collector housing;
an aerosol entry port that provides an inlet for air to flow from outside of the collector housing to the inside of the housing, wherein the aerosol entry port is open to atmosphere;
a sample substrate receiving area within the collector housing that receives a sample substrate including a collection area upon which particulates are collected;
a passageway defined by ductwork that directly connects the aerosol entry port to the sample substrate receiving area;
a pump that draws ambient air into the aerosol entry port and through the passageway defined by the ductwork;
a charging device having an electrode at least partially positioned within the passageway;
a high voltage power source coupled to the charging device; and
a spraying device having a spray nozzle, the spraying device at least partially positioned within the passageway;
wherein:
a tip of the electrode creates an electric field defining a charging point in the passageway through which the air passes;
the sample substrate is held at an electric potential that is different from the electric potential of the charging point during particulate collection; and
the spraying device sprays a fluid from the spray nozzle over the collection area of the sample substrate, where the fluid is specifically selected to prepare the collected sample for subsequent evaluation.

2. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 further comprising:
a collection needle holder that supports the electrode within the collector housing;
wherein:
the collection needle holder includes an adjustment mechanism to adjust the positioning of the electrode within the ductwork.

3. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 2 , wherein the adjustment mechanism allows for user-adjustable control of the angle of the electrode and the positioning of the electrode within the ductwork.

4. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 further comprising:
an electrohydrodynamic nozzle holder that passes through the body of the collector housing and supports the spraying device within the collector housing;
wherein:
the electrohydrodynamic nozzle holder includes an adjustment device to adjust the position of the spray nozzle within the ductwork.

5. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 4 , wherein the adjustment device allows for user-adjustable control of the angle of the of the spray nozzle and the amount of penetration of the nozzle within the ductwork.

6. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 further comprising:
a collection needle holder that supports the electrode within the collector housing, wherein:
and
the collection needle holder includes an adjustment mechanism to adjust the positioning of the electrode within the ductwork; and

an electrohydrodynamic nozzle holder that passes through the body of the collector housing and supports the spraying device within the collector housing, wherein:
and
the electrohydrodynamic nozzle holder includes an adjustment device to adjust the position of the spray nozzle within the ductwork.

7. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 further comprising:
a controller that controls the charging device and the spraying device such that the charging device and spraying device operate in alternating fashion, wherein:
the controller holds the charging device at a high voltage when the spraying device is being operated at an operating potential of the spraying device, and
the controller holds the spraying device at a high voltage when the charging device is being operated at an operating potential of the charging device.

8. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 7 , wherein:
the high voltage set by the controller to hold the charging device is less than the operating potential of the charging device; and
the high voltage set by the controller to hold the spraying device is less than the operating potential of the spraying device.

9. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 further comprising:
a controller that controls the charging device and the spraying device such that the charging device and spraying device operate substantially simultaneously.

10. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 , wherein:
a high voltage source is coupled to the spraying device; and
at least six millimeters separates the spray nozzle from the electrode.

11. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the spray nozzle of the spraying device includes a bend therein;
the bend of the spray nozzle is along the length of the spray nozzle;
the spray nozzle is positioned within the passageway such that the spray nozzle enters the passageway at a non-zero and non-ninety degree angle with reference to the passageway; and
an exit of the spray nozzle points substantially down towards the collection area of the sample substrate.

12. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the tip of the electrode is positioned within the passageway; and
the spray nozzle is positioned within the passageway below the tip of the electrode, such that an exit of the spray nozzle is closer to the collection area of the sample substrate than a tip of the electrode.

13. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the electrode and the spray nozzle enter the passageway from substantially opposite sides of the passageway such that only a tip of the electrode and an exit of the spray nozzle extend at least substantially to the center of the passageway, above of the sample collection area.

14. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the spray nozzle is in a closed space, positioned within at least two concentric cylinders, including an inner concentric cylinder that is a non-conductive cylinder arranged to insulate the charged spray nozzle and the outer concentric cylinder comprises a conductive cylinder.

15. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 14 , wherein the outer concentric cylinder defines a grounded sleeve that is spaced from the inner cylinder and surrounds an exit of the spray nozzle.

16. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 , wherein:
the fluid injected by the spraying device comprises at least water and ethanol;
the fluid sprayed by the spraying device performs at least one of:
disaggregates clusters of the collected biological material; and
desalinizes the collected biological materials collected within the collection area of the sample substrate; and

a spray pattern of the spraying device is controlled by at least one of:
the flow rate of the corresponding fluid;
the angle of the needle implementing the spray nozzle; and
the geometry of the exit of the spray nozzle.

17. The electrostatic aerosol collector according to claim 1 further comprising:
a disaggregation holder assembly positioned so as to be able to transfer vibrational energy to the sample substrate, the disaggregation holder assembly comprising:
a top plate that secures to a bottom plate such that a channel is positioned between the top plate and the bottom plate;
an eccentric mass vibrator motor received in the channel between the top plate and the bottom plate; and
a spring plunger fed through the bottom plate so as to allow for variable vibration and amplitude control of the eccentric mass vibrator motor.

18. The small area electr

Assignees

• Battelle Memorial Institute

Inventors

• Bartko Andrew P
• Black Rodney S
• Busch James R
• Chase David R
• Daly Ryan W
• Ronningen Theodore J
• Young Matthew S

Classifications

• B05B5/0255

  spraying and depositing by electrostatic forces only · CPC title

• B03C3/36 Primary

  Controlling flow of gases or vapour · CPC title

• G01N1/2202 Primary

  involving separation of sample components during sampling · CPC title

• B05B5/1683

  specially adapted for particulate materials · CPC title

• G01N1/2273

  Atmospheric sampling · CPC title