Uninterrupted fluid flow while modulating fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016334031-A1
Application number	US-201514975342-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 12, 2014
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fluid processing device ( 10 ) for processing fluid, wherein the fluid processing device ( 10 ) comprises a first fluid drive unit ( 20 ) configured for driving a first fluid along a first flow path ( 85 ), a second fluid drive unit ( 20 ′) configured for driving a second fluid along a second flow path ( 86 ), and a fluidic switch ( 90 ) fluidically coupled to the first flow path ( 85 ) and to the second flow path ( 86 ) and configured for being switchable for transferring first fluid from the first flow path ( 85 ) into the second flow path ( 86 ) without interruption of fluid flow along at least one of the first flow path ( 85 ) and the second flow path ( 86 ).

First claim

1 . A fluid processing device for processing fluid, wherein the fluid processing device comprises:
a first fluid drive unit configured for driving a first fluid along a first flow path; a second fluid drive unit configured for driving a second fluid along a second flow path; a fluidic switch fluidically coupled to the first flow path and to the second flow path and configured for being switchable for transferring first fluid from the first flow path into the second flow path without interruption of fluid flow along at least one of the first flow path and the second flow path.

2 . The fluid processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the first flow path and the second flow path are fluidically decoupled from each other over their entire lengths, except within the fluidic switch, thereby allowing a transfer of fluid from the first fluid path to the second fluid path only within the fluidic switch.

3 . The fluid processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the fluidic switch is switchable between different fluid switching states for transferring first fluid from the first flow path into the second flow path in such a manner that during a transition period that occurs when switching between the different fluid switching states fluid flow along the first flow path and fluid flow along the second flow path continue uninterrupted.

4 . The fluid processing device according to claim 1 , further comprising a first fluid accommodation volume, a second fluid accommodation volume and a third fluid accommodation volume each of which having fluidic interfaces fluidically coupled to the fluidic switch and being configured for cooperating to maintain a fluid flow independently along the first flow path and along the second flow path via at least one of the fluid accommodation volumes while the fluidic switch is switched for transferring first fluid from the first flow path into the second flow path.

5 . The fluid processing device according to claim 4 , wherein the fluidic switch is configured to be switchable in a fluid processing switching state in which the first flow path includes one of the first fluid accommodation volume or the second fluid accommodation volume, while the second flow path includes the respectively other one of the first fluid accommodation volume or the second fluid accommodation volume, while none of the first flow path nor the second flow path includes the third fluid accommodation volume.

6 . The fluid processing device according to claim 4 , wherein the fluidic switch is configured to be switchable in a first fluid splitting switching state in which the first flow path includes both the first fluid accommodation volume and the second fluid accommodation volume to thereby split first fluid to flow through the first fluid accommodation volume and through the second fluid accommodation volume, while the second flow path includes the third fluid accommodation volume.

7 . The fluid processing device according to claim 4 , wherein the fluidic switch is configured to be switchable in a second fluid splitting switching state in which the first flow path includes the first fluid accommodation volume or the second fluid accommodation volume, while the second flow path includes the respectively other one of the first fluid accommodation volume or the second fluid accommodation volume and includes in addition the third fluid accommodation volume to thereby split second fluid to flow through the other one of the first fluid accommodation volume or the second fluid accommodation volume and in addition through the third fluid accommodation volume.

8 . The fluid processing device according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first fluid accommodation volume, the second fluid accommodation volume and the third fluid accommodation volume is configured as one of the group consisting of a capillary section fluidically connected between two fluidic interfaces of the fluidic switch, a groove, in particular a radial groove, of a valve member of the fluidic switch, and a channel, in particular a microfluidic channel or a buried channel, incorporated into a valve member of the fluidic switch.

9 . The fluid processing device according to claim 1 , comprising a fluid reactor configured for conducting a chemical, biochemical or biological reaction in the first fluid, in particular where the fluid reactor is one of the group consisting of a source of the first fluid transported into the first flow path, and a flow-through reactor fluidically arranged within the first flow path.

10 . The fluid processing device according to claim 1 , configured as a sample separation device configured for separating the first fluid, in particular for separating the first fluid to be transferred into the second flow path.

11 . The fluid processing device according to claim 1 , configured as a two-dimensional sample separation device configured for separating, in a first separation dimension, the first fluid into fractions and, in a second separation dimension, at least one fraction in the transferred first fluid into sub-fractions.

12 . The fluid processing device according to claim 11 , wherein the fluidic switch is configured for being switchable between a plurality of fluid switching states so that a fluid flow from the first separation dimension into the second separation dimension is permanently maintained permeable, in particular is never interrupted.

13 . The fluid processing device according to claim 12 , wherein the fluidic switch is configured for being switchable between a plurality of fluid switching states so that a fluid flow at a fluidic outlet of the first separation dimension is permanently maintained permeable, in particular is never interrupted, and a fluid flow at a fluidic inlet of the second separation dimension is permanently maintained permeable, in particular is never interrupted.

14 . The fluid processing device according to claim 10 , comprising a detector located in the first flow path upstream of the fluidic switch and being configured for detecting separated components or fractions of the first fluid.

15 . The fluid processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the fluidic switch is configured for being switchable without effecting an excessive pressure change in the first flow path, in particular without effecting a pressure increase or a pressure decrease in the first flow path upstream of the fluidic switch, during a switching operation.

16 . The fluid processing device according to claim 1 , comprising at least one of:
a fluidic short circuit path is integrated in or fluidically coupled to the fluidic switch so as to conduct fluid during a switching interval between different fluid switching states; the fluidic switch is configured for being switchable between a plurality of fluid switching states so that a fluid flow through the fluid processing device is permanently maintained permeable, in particular is never interrupted.

17 . The fluid processing device according to claim 1 , wherein the fluidic switch is configured as one of the group consisting of a single fluidic switching device comprising a single fluidic valve with one or more sample loops each of which being fluidically connected between two ports of the fluidic valve, a fluidic switching device comprising a plurality of cooperating fluidic valves with at least one fluidic valve with one or more sample loops each of which being fluidically connected between two ports of the at least one fluidic valve, and a fluidic valve comprising at least three loops incorporated into a movable member of the fluidic

Assignees

• Agilent Technologies Inc

Inventors

• Shoykhet Konstantin
• Witt Klaus
• Buckenmaier Stephan
• Stoll Dwight

Classifications

• B01D15/10

  characterised by constructional or operational features · CPC title

• G01N30/32 Primary

  of pressure or speed (G01N30/36 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B01L3/50273

  characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids · CPC title

• G01N2030/202

  rotary valves · CPC title

• G01N30/46

  using more than one column {(G01N30/44 takes precedence)} · CPC title