Systems and methods for separating particles and/or substances from a sample fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9480935-B2
Application number	US-2476208-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2008
Priority date	Feb 1, 2008
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods for separating particles and/or toxins from a sample fluid. A method according to one embodiment comprises simultaneously passing a sample fluid and a buffer fluid through a chamber such that a fluidic interface is formed between the sample fluid and the buffer fluid as the fluids pass through the chamber, the sample fluid having particles of interest therein; applying a force to the fluids for urging the particles of interest to pass through the interface into the buffer fluid; and substantially separating the buffer fluid from the sample fluid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for separating particles from a sample fluid, comprising:
simultaneously passing a sample fluid and a buffer fluid through a chamber such that a fluidic interface is formed between the sample fluid and the buffer fluid as the fluids pass through the chamber, the sample fluid having particles of a first characteristic and particles of a second characteristic therein;
applying at least one of an electrophoretic and a dielectrophoretic force to the fluids for urging the particles of the first characteristic to pass through the interface into the buffer fluid;
applying an acoustic force to the fluids for urging the particles of the second characteristic to remain in the sample fluid; and
substantially separating the buffer fluid from the sample fluid;
wherein the particles of the second characteristic substantially remain in the sample fluid during the separation.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 , orienting the chamber so that a gravitational force is applied to the fluids for urging particles of a third characteristic and/or the particles of the second characteristic also having the third characteristic to remain in the sample fluid.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the particles of the first characteristic and/or the particles of the second characteristic are pathogens.

4. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the fluids pass through the chamber at about a same velocity as measured at the interface.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sample fluid also includes other particles,
wherein the particles of the first characteristic are associated with the other particles,
wherein applying the acoustic force to the fluids substantially causes the particles of the first characteristic to dissociate from the other particles, and
wherein the other particles substantially remain in the sample fluid after applying the force to the fluids.

6. A system for separating particles from a sample fluid, comprising:
a chamber;
a sample fluid inlet for introducing a sample fluid to the chamber;
a buffer fluid inlet for introducing a buffer fluid to the chamber, wherein a simultaneously-introduced sample fluid and buffer fluid pass through the chamber such that a fluidic interface is formed between the sample fluid and the buffer fluid as the fluids pass through the chamber, the sample fluid having particles of a first characteristic and particles of a second characteristic therein;
a mechanism for applying at least one of an electrophoretic and a dielectrophoretic force to the fluids for urging the particles of the first characteristic to pass through the interface into the buffer fluid;
a mechanism for applying an acoustic force to the fluids for urging the particles of the second characteristic to remain in the sample fluid;
a sample fluid outlet coupled to the chamber; and
a buffer fluid outlet coupled to the chamber, the buffer fluid being substantially separated from the sample fluid;
wherein the particles of the second characteristic substantially remain in the sample fluid during the separation.

7. A system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the mechanism for applying the acoustic force to the fluids comprises:
two or more phased co-planar transducers positioned on one side of the chamber; and
an acoustic reflector positioned on a side of the chamber opposite the two or more phased co-planar transducers; and
wherein the mechanism for applying at least one of the electrophoretic force and the dielectrophoretic force comprises:
a first electrode positioned on a same side of the chamber as the two or more phased co-planar transducers; and
a second electrode positioned on the side of the chamber opposite the two or more phased co-planar transducers.

8. A system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the fluids pass through the chamber at about a same velocity as measured at the interface.

9. A system as recited in claim 6 , wherein the sample fluid also includes other particles,
wherein the particles of the first characteristic are associated with the other particles,
wherein applying the acoustic force to the fluids substantially causes the particles of the first characteristic to dissociate from the other particles, and
wherein the other particles substantially remain in the sample fluid after applying the force to the fluids.

10. A system as recited in claim 6 , further comprising a mechanism for selectively applying a gravitational force to the fluids, wherein applying the gravitational force to the fluids urges particles of a third characteristic and/or the particles of the second characteristic also having the third characteristic to remain in the sample fluid.

11. A system for separating particles from a sample fluid, comprising:
a chamber;
a sample fluid inlet for introducing a sample fluid to the chamber;
a buffer fluid inlet for introducing a buffer fluid to the chamber, wherein a simultaneously-introduced sample fluid and buffer fluid pass through the chamber such that a fluidic interface is formed between the sample fluid and the buffer fluid as the fluids pass through the chamber, the sample fluid having particles of a first characteristic and particles of a second characteristic therein;
a mechanism for applying at least one of an electrophoretic and a dielectrophoretic force to the fluids for urging the particles of the first characteristic to pass through the interface into the buffer fluid;
a mechanism for applying an acoustic force to the fluids for urging the particles of the second characteristic to remain in the sample fluid;
a sample fluid outlet coupled to the chamber;
a buffer fluid outlet coupled to the chamber, the buffer fluid being substantially separated from the sample fluid; and
wherein the mechanism for applying the acoustic force to the fluids comprises:
a wave emitter positioned on one side of the chamber for creating a standing wave that runs transversely across the chamber;
an acoustic reflector positioned on a side of the chamber opposite the wave emitter; and

wherein the mechanism for applying at least one of the electrophoretic force and the dielectrophoretic force comprises:
a first electrode positioned a same side of the chamber as the wave emitter; and
a second electrode positioned on the side of the chamber opposite wave emitter.

12. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the second characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a particle volume greater than the particle volume of the particles of the first characteristic, a particle surface area greater than the particle surface area of the particles of the first characteristic, and
wherein the third characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a particle mass greater than the particle mass of the particles of the first characteristic, and a capacity for sedimentation greater than the capacity for sedimentation of the particles of the first characteristic.

13. A system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the second characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a particle volume greater than the particle volume of the particles of the first characteristic, a particle surface area greater than the particle surface area of the particles of the first characteristic, and
wherein the third characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: a particle mass greater than the particle mass of the particles of the first characteristic, and a capacity for sedimentation greater than the capacity for sedimentation of the particles of the first characteristic.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein applying the acoustic force urg

Assignees

• Mariella Jr Raymond P
• Dougherty George M
• Dzenitis John M
• Miles Robin R
• Clague David S
• L Livermore Nat Security Llc

Inventors

• Mariella Jr Raymond P
• Dougherty George M
• Dzenitis John M
• Miles Robin R
• Clague David S

Classifications

• G01N2001/4072

  membraneless transfer of a component between two parallel laminar flows of fluid · CPC title

• B01D17/06 Primary

  Separation of liquids from each other by electricity · CPC title

• G01N2015/0288

  Sorting the particles · CPC title

• G01N1/4077

  by other techniques involving separation of suspended solids · CPC title

• G01N2001/2873

  Cutting or cleaving · CPC title