Microdroplet/bubble generation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12589372-B2
Application number	US-202117911096-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2021
Priority date	Mar 13, 2020
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

A microdroplet/bubble-generating device comprising a slit and a row of a plurality of microflow paths is constructed, in such a manner that either a continuous phase or dispersion phase is supplied to the slit, and so that the end of the slit, the other supply port for the continuous phase or dispersion phase and the liquid recovery port are connected. The plurality of microflow paths each have a narrow part where the cross-sectional area of the flow channel is locally narrowed adjacent to or near the connection point between the slit and the microflow path. The continuous phase and dispersion phase that have met at the connection points flow into the narrow parts, and the dispersion phase is sheared at the narrow parts with the continuous phase flow as the driving force, forming droplets or gas bubbles of the dispersion phase. The product is recovered from the liquid recovery port.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A microdroplet/bubble-generating device, comprising:
a row of a plurality of microflow paths, a dispersion phase supply port, a continuous phase supply port and a liquid recovery port, and a first slit, wherein: the plurality of microflow paths are connected with an end of the first slit in a reference plane, the plurality of microflow paths each have a first side microflow path and a second side microflow path on either side of a connection point between each of the plurality of microflow paths and the first slit, the first side microflow paths are connected with one of the continuous phase supply port and the dispersion phase supply port, the first slit being connected with the other one of the continuous phase supply port and the dispersion phase supply port, the second side microflow paths are connected with a liquid recovery port, the plurality of microflow paths each have a narrow part in the second side microflow path where the cross-sectional area of the flow path is locally narrowed, either in contact with or near each connection point between each of the plurality of microflow paths and the first slit, and the cross-sectional area of the narrow part is in the range of 1/100 to 1/1.5 of the area of the cross-section of the second side microflow path.

2 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the narrow part in the flow path direction is in the range of 0.01 to 10 times the square root of the area of the cross-section of the second side microflow path.

3 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the distance from the connection point between each of the plurality of microflow paths and the first slit to the narrow parts is in a range of no greater than 5 times the square root of the area of the cross-section of the second side microflow paths to zero.

4 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the length of the narrow part in the flow path direction is in the range of 0.1 to 1000 μm.

5 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the distance from the connection point between each of the plurality of microflow paths and the first slit to the narrow part is in a range of 1000 μm to zero.

6 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following a) and b) is satisfied:
a) the continuous phase supply port or dispersion phase supply port connected with the first side microflow path comprises a second slit, an end of the second slit being connected with the plurality of microflow paths, and b) the liquid recovery port comprises a third slit, an end of the third slit being connected with the plurality of microflow paths.

7 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid recovery port comprises a cylindrical hole, and the second side microflow paths of the plurality of microflow paths are connected with the cylindrical hole.

8 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the inner walls of the plurality of microflow paths are composed of hydrophobic surfaces, the dispersion phase is an aqueous phase, and the continuous phase is an organic phase.

9 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating device according to claim 1 , wherein the inner walls of the plurality of microflow paths are composed of hydrophilic surfaces, the dispersion phase is an organic phase, and the continuous phase is an aqueous phase.

10 . A microdroplet/bubble-generating method,
the method using a microdroplet/bubble-generating device, comprising a row of a plurality of microflow paths, a dispersion phase supply port, a continuous phase supply port and a liquid recovery port, and a first slit, wherein: the plurality of microflow paths are connected with an end of the first slit in a reference plane, the plurality of microflow paths each have a first side microflow path and a second side microflow path on either side of a connection point between each of the plurality of microflow paths and the first slit, the first slit is connected with one of the continuous phase supply port and the dispersion phase supply port, the other one of the continuous phase supply port and the dispersion phase supply port being connected with the first side microflow paths, and the second side microflow paths are connected with the liquid recovery port, the method being characterized in that the plurality of microflow paths each have a narrow part in the second side microflow path where the cross-sectional area of the flow path is locally narrowed, either in contact with or near each connection point between each of the plurality of microflow paths and the first slit, the cross-sectional area of the narrow part is in the range of 1/100 to 1/1.5 of the area of the cross-section of the second side microflow path, a continuous phase and a dispersion phase that have met at each connection point between each of the plurality of microflow paths and first slit flow into each narrow part, the dispersion phase being sheared at the narrow part with a flow of the continuous phase as the driving force, forming droplets or bubbles of the dispersion phase, and the product being collected through the liquid recovery port.

11 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating method according to claim 10 , wherein the length of the narrow part in the flow path direction is in the range of 0.01 to 10 times the square root of the area of the cross-section of the second side microflow path.

12 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating method according to claim 10 , wherein the distance from the connection point between each of the plurality of microflow paths and the first slit to the narrow part is in a range of no greater than 5 times the square root of the area of the cross-section of the second side microflow path to zero.

13 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating method according to claim 10 , wherein the length of the narrow part in the flow path direction is in the range of 0.1 to 1000 μm.

14 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating method according to claim 10 , wherein the distance from the connection point between each of the plurality of microflow paths and the first slit to the narrow part is in a range of 1000 μm to zero.

15 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating method according to claim 10 , wherein at least one of the following c) and d) is satisfied:
c) the continuous phase supply port or dispersion phase supply port connected with the first side microflow paths comprises a second slit, an end of the second slit being connected with the plurality of microflow paths, one of the continuous phase and dispersion phase being supplied to the first side microflow paths through the second slit, the other one of the continuous phase and dispersion phase being supplied to the plurality of microflow paths through the first slit, and d) the liquid recovery port comprises a third slit, an end of the third slit being connected with the plurality of microflow paths, the microdroplet or bubble being recovered from the third slit through the second side microflow paths.

16 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating method according to claim 10 , wherein the liquid recovery port comprises a cylindrical hole, and the second side microflow paths of the plurality of microflow paths are connected with the cylindrical hole.

17 . The microdroplet/bubble-generating method according to claim 10 , wherein the inner walls of the plurality of microflow pa

Assignees

• Japan Science & Tech Agency

Inventors

• Nisisako Takasi

Classifications

• B81B2203/0338

  Channels · CPC title

• B81B2201/057

  Micropipets, dropformers · CPC title

• B81B1/006

  Microdevices formed as a single homogeneous piece, i.e. wherein the mechanical function is obtained by the use of the device, e.g. cutters · CPC title

• B01F2215/0431

  Numerical size values, e.g. diameter of a hole or conduit, area, volume, length, width, or ratios thereof · CPC title

• B01F35/561

  the mixer being built-up from a plurality of modules or stacked plates comprising complete or partial elements of the mixer · CPC title