Fluid handling systems for application of fluid shear stress to a fluid sample

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10730046-B2
Application number	US-201515522704-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2015
Priority date	Oct 31, 2014
Publication date	Aug 4, 2020
Grant date	Aug 4, 2020

Abstract

A fluid handling system for applying a plurality of pulses of fluid shear stress to a fluid sample may comprise a first sample chamber; a second sample chamber; a plurality of conduits mounted between and in fluid communication with the first sample chamber and the second sample chamber; and a force delivery system mounted to the first sample chamber and configured to apply a force sufficient to push the fluid sample from the first sample chamber through each of the conduits at a substantially constant flow rate to the second sample chamber. The plurality of conduits may be arranged in series and separated by additional sample chambers or arranged such that the conduits are substantially parallel to one another. The force delivery system may be a gas delivery system or a linear drive assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A fluid handling system for applying a plurality of pulses of fluid shear stress to a fluid sample, the system comprising:
a first sample chamber;
a second sample chamber;
a plurality of conduits mounted between and in fluid connection with the first sample chamber and the second sample chamber, the plurality of conduits having inner diameters of less than about 1000 μm;
a force delivery system mounted to the first sample chamber and configured to apply a selected force sufficient to push the fluid sample from the first sample chamber through each of the plurality of conduits at a constant flow rate to the second sample chamber, wherein the plurality of conduits are arranged in series and further wherein a third sample chamber is located between each pair of conduits in the plurality of conduits, and wherein the force delivery system is a gas delivery system configured to deliver gas to pressurize the first sample chamber and the second sample chamber to a selected pressure, the gas delivery system comprising a plurality of gas valves, each gas valve in fluid connection with the first sample chamber or the second sample chamber;
a syringe stack comprising a plurality of stackable syringe assemblies, each stackable syringe assembly in fluid connection with an adjacent stackable syringe assembly, each stackable syringe assembly comprising:
a syringe body defining a syringe sample chamber;
a gas inlet port in fluid connection with the syringe sample chamber; and
a syringe conduit through which the fluid sample may pass from the syringe sample chamber into an adjacent sample chamber of the adjacent stackable syringe assembly,
wherein the syringe stack comprises the first sample chamber, the second sample chamber, the plurality of conduits and an additional sample chamber such that the syringe sample chamber is one of the first sample chamber, the second sample chamber and the third sample chamber and one of the plurality of conduits, and
wherein each gas valve is in fluid connection with one of the plurality of stackable syringe assemblies via a gas inlet port.

2. The fluid handling system of claim 1 , the syringe body comprising a bottom end portion configured such that the bottom end portion is insertable into a top opening of an adjacent syringe body of the adjacent stackable syringe assembly to form a pressure-tight seal.

3. The fluid handling system of claim 1 , the stackable syringe assembly further comprising an arm defining a bore through which fluid may pass, the arm mounted to the syringe body and extending from the gas inlet port.

4. The fluid handling system of claim 1 , the syringe body comprising a partition assembly mounted in the syringe sample chamber and configured to reduce foaming of the fluid sample as it passes into the syringe sample chamber en route to the syringe conduit.

5. The fluid handling system of claim 4 , wherein the partition assembly comprises a central portion mounted to a side wall of the syringe body at a bottom end of the central portion, the central portion extending upwardly such that a top end of the central portion is positioned in a central location within the syringe sample chamber, and first and second lateral portions mounted to opposite sides of the top end of the central portion, wherein the central portion and first and second lateral portions define gaps through which the fluid sample may pass.

6. The fluid handling system of claim 1 , further comprising a support assembly mounted to the syringe stack and configured to position the syringe stack vertically.

7. A fluid handling system for applying a plurality of pulses of fluid shear stress to a fluid sample, the system comprising:
a first sample chamber;
a second sample chamber;
a plurality of conduits mounted between and in fluid connection with the first sample chamber and the second sample chamber, the plurality of conduits having inner diameters of less than about 1000 μm;
a force delivery system mounted to the first sample chamber and configured to apply a selected force sufficient to push the fluid sample from the first sample chamber through each of the plurality of conduits at a constant flow rate to the second sample chamber, wherein the plurality of conduits are arranged in series and further wherein a third sample chamber is located between each pair of conduits in the plurality of conduits, and wherein the force delivery system is a gas delivery system configured to deliver gas to pressurize the first sample chamber and the second sample chamber to a selected pressure, the gas delivery system comprising a plurality of gas valves, each gas valve in fluid connection with the first sample chamber or the second sample chamber; and
a control system operably coupled to the gas delivery system and configured to sequentially deliver gas to each sample chamber at the selected pressure for a selected duration time to sequentially pass the fluid sample through each conduit,
wherein the control system is configured to perform operations comprising:
(a) pressurizing the first sample chamber with gas to the selected pressure;
(b) maintaining the pressurization at the selected pressure until an indicator indicates the complete delivery of the fluid sample through a first conduit in the plurality of conduits into an adjacent sample chamber;
(c) venting the first sample chamber for a selected hold time; and
(d) repeating steps (a)-(c) such that the fluid sample passes through each conduit in the plurality of conduits.

8. A fluid handling system for applying a plurality of pulses of fluid shear stress to a fluid sample, the system comprising:
a first sample chamber;
a second sample chamber;
a plurality of conduits mounted between and in fluid connection with the first sample chamber and the second sample chamber, the plurality of conduits having inner diameters of less than about 1000 μm;
a force delivery system mounted to the first sample chamber and configured to apply a selected force sufficient to push the fluid sample from the first sample chamber through each of the plurality of conduits at a constant flow rate to the second sample chamber, wherein the plurality of conduits are arranged parallel to one another and the force delivery system is a linear drive assembly to apply the selected force to the fluid sample in the first sample chamber at a selected speed over a selected distance and to apply the selected force in an opposing, second direction towards the fluid sample at the selected speed over the selected distance in the second sample chamber;
a syringe body having a longitudinal axis and defining a bore, the first sample chamber within the bore and the second sample chamber within the bore, wherein the plurality of parallel conduits are mounted within the bore;
a first piston mounted within the bore at an end of the syringe body; and
a second piston mounted within the bore at an opposing end of the syringe body;
wherein the linear drive assembly is configured to achieve relative translation of the syringe body to the first and second pistons back and forth along the longitudinal axis of the syringe body.

9. The fluid handling system of claim 8 , wherein the syringe body is moveable and the first and second pistons are fixed in position.

10. The fluid handling system of claim 8 , further comprising a conduit holding block mounted within the bore, the conduit holding block comprising a plurality of parallel channels, wherein the plurality of parallel conduits are mounted in corresponding channels of the plurality of parallel channels.

11. The fluid handling system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of parallel channels are arranged in an array.

Assignees

• Univ Iowa Res Found

Inventors

• Henry Michael D
• Vigmostad Sarah C
• Cable Michael
• Krog Benjamin L
• Leopold Eric
• Desai Rupesh

Classifications

• B01J2219/009

  Pulsating flow · CPC title

• B01J19/0093

  Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors (laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027) · CPC title

• C12M35/04

  Mechanical means, e.g. sonic waves, stretching forces, pressure or shear stimuli · CPC title

• B01J4/001

  Feed or outlet devices as such, e.g. feeding tubes · CPC title

• B01L2400/0487

  fluid pressure, pneumatics · CPC title