Systems Devices and Methods Providing Hydrodynamic Barriers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021069700-A1
Application number	US-201916975498-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 27, 2019
Priority date	Feb 27, 2018
Publication date	Mar 11, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hydrodynamic barrier device including: a plurality of outlets disposed on a surface; a plurality of inlets dispersed among the plurality of outlets and disposed on the surface; and at least one pump in fluid communication with the plurality of outlets and the plurality of inlets, the at least one pump configured to simultaneously pump an operating fluid out of the plurality of outlets and pull the operating fluid back through the plurality of inlets to create a hydrodynamic barrier on the surface.

First claim

1 . A hydrodynamic barrier device comprising:
outlets disposed on a surface; inlets dispersed among the outlets and disposed on the surface; a pump in fluid communication with at least a portion of the outlets and at least a portion of the inlets; wherein the pump is configured to form a hydrodynamic barrier on the surface by simultaneously pumping an operating fluid out of at least a portion of the outlets and pulling the operating fluid back through at least a portion of the inlets.

2 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 1 further comprising a reservoir configured to store at least a portion of the operating fluid.

3 . (canceled)

4 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to operate the pump in operating modes;
wherein the controller is further configured to switch the pump between at least two operating modes comprising:
an injection mode configured to maintain an outlet flow rate of the operating fluid through the outlets as greater than an inlet flow rate of the operating fluid through the inlets such that at least a portion of the operating fluid is released into a surrounding environment; and
a sampling mode configured to maintain the outlet flow rate as lesser than the inlet flow rate such that at least a portion of environmental fluid is withdrawn from the surrounding environment into at least a portion of the inlets.

5 . (canceled)

6 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 4 , wherein the operating fluid comprises at least one of an emissible fluid, hydrophobic fluid, micro-beads, metallic filings, magnetic material, sterile solutions, solvents, and cleaning solutions.

7 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 4 , wherein:
the outlets comprise an outlet hole array disposed on the surface; and the inlets comprise an inlet hole array disposed on the surface and offset from the outlet hole array.

8 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 1 , wherein:
wherein each of at least a portion of the outlets comprise a substantially rectangular outlet trench disposed on the surface; wherein each of at least a portion of the inlets comprise a substantially rectangular inlet trench disposed on the surface; and wherein at least a portion of the inlet trenches and the outlet trenches are disposed in an alternating pattern.

9 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 1 , wherein:
wherein each of at least a portion of the outlets comprise a substantially trapezoidal outlet trench disposed on the surface; wherein each of at least a portion of the inlets comprise a substantially trapezoidal inlet trench disposed on the surface; and wherein at least a portion of the inlet trenches and the outlet trenches are disposed in an alternating pattern.

10 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 1 further comprising microneedles disposed on the surface.

11 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the microneedles are substantially conical in shape.

12 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the microneedles each comprise a portion of the outlets and a portion of the inlets.

13 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 4 , wherein the pump is selected from the group consisting of a peristaltic pump, a syringe pump, and a pneumatic pump.

14 . (canceled)

15 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the outlets, at least a portion of the inlets, or both portions of the outlets and the inlets comprise pores in a hydrogel disposed on the surface.

16 .- 21 . (canceled)

22 . A method comprising:
forming a hydrodynamic barrier on a surface by simultaneously outputting an operating fluid out of outlets disposed on the surface and withdrawing the operating fluid back through inlets on the surface; and switching an operating mode from between at least an injection mode and a sampling mode; wherein the injection mode maintains an outlet flow rate of the operating fluid through the outlets as greater than an inlet flow rate of the operating fluid through the inlets such that at least a portion of the operating fluid is released into a surrounding environment; and wherein the sampling mode maintains the outlet flow rate as lesser than the inlet flow rate such that at least a portion of environmental fluid is withdrawn from the surrounding environment into at least a portion of the inlets.

23 . The method of claim 22 further comprising cleaning the surface by altering at least one of the operating fluid, the outlet flow rate, and the inlet flow rate.

24 . (canceled)

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein:
each of at least a portion of the outlets comprise a an outlet trench disposed on the surface; each of at least a portion of the inlets comprise a an inlet trench disposed on the surface; the inlet trenches and the outlet trenches are disposed in an alternating pattern, and each of the inlet trenches and the outlet trenches is substantially rectangular or substantial trapezoidal.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the outlets and the inlets are formed in microneedles disposed on the surface.

27 .- 30 . (canceled)

31 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 1 , wherein:
each of at least a portion of the inlets is selected from the group consisting of a substantially rectangular inlet trench disposed on the surface and a substantially trapezoidal inlet trench disposed on the surface; each of at least a portion of the outlets is selected from the group consisting of a substantially rectangular outlet trench disposed on the surface and a substantially trapezoidal outlet trench disposed on the surface; and at least a portion of the inlet trenches and the outlet trenches are disposed in an alternating pattern.

32 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 31 further comprising microneedles disposed on the surface;
wherein at least a portion of the microneedles are substantially conical in shape.

33 . The hydrodynamic barrier device of claim 31 further comprising microneedles disposed on the surface;
wherein at least a portion of the microneedles each comprise a portion of the inlet trenches and a portion of the outlet trenches.

34 . The method of claim 22 further comprising selecting the operating mode from the group consisting of the injection mode, the sampling mode, an antifouling mode, and a switching mode;
wherein the antifouling mode maintains substantial equivalence between the outlet flow rate and the inlet flow rate; and
wherein the switching mode modifies over time at least one of the outlet flow rate and the inlet flow rate.

Assignees

• Georgia Tech Res Inst

Inventors

• Sarioglu Ali Fatih
• Lee Dohwan

Classifications

• B08B17/00

  Methods preventing fouling {(preventing accumulation of deposits in pneumatic conveyors B65G53/521)} · CPC title

• F04B53/16

  Casings; Cylinders; Cylinder liners or heads; Fluid connections · CPC title

• F04B23/02 Primary

  having reservoirs · CPC title

• B01L2400/0475

  specific mechanical means and fluid pressure · CPC title

• F04B23/04

  Combinations of two or more pumps · CPC title