Method and apparatus for determining droplet mass from a liquid droplet dispensing system

Abstract

A method and apparatus for collecting sample data from a liquid droplet dispensing system is provided.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application filed on July 19, 2019, with application number "201980060208.3" and invention title "Method and Apparatus for Determining the Mass of Droplets from Sample Data Collected from a Liquid Droplet Dispensing System".

[0002] Citation of relevant applications

[0003] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 701,061, filed July 20, 2018, entitled “Apparatus and Method for Bubble Detection,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0004] A method for collecting sample data from a liquid droplet dispensing system is provided. The sample data is used to determine the mass of droplets from the liquid droplet dispensing system without physically measuring the droplets. Background Technology

[0005] Liquid deposition processes are now used in a wide range of applications and typically involve depositing a volume of liquid (e.g., microdroplets) from a reservoir to an external location. One example of such a liquid deposition process is printing, which involves ejecting a volume of liquid from a nozzle to a specific location on a substrate. Another example is combinatorial chemistry experiments, which involve depositing a precise volume of liquid reagent into a cell to react with other reagents. Yet another example is surface adhesion testing, which involves depositing a volume of liquid onto a surface and measuring the size of the resulting droplets to assess surface wettability. These processes often require precise control of the volume of the deposited liquid, and in some cases, such as those used for printing and surface adhesion testing, it may also be necessary to control the rate of liquid deposition.

[0006] Typically, these liquid deposition processes utilize a fluid deposition system comprising a reservoir of pressurized fluid and a valve associated with the reservoir. The valve selectively opens or closes to dispense a desired volume of pressurized fluid from the reservoir. The volume of fluid dispensed is typically controlled by varying the applied pressure and the amount of time the valve is open. For a predetermined valve cycle time (e.g., the amount of time the valve remains open), the volume of fluid dispensed from the reservoir can be proportional to the dispensing rate of the fluid. For example, the higher the rate at which fluid is dispensed from the reservoir during a predetermined valve cycle time, the greater the volume of fluid dispensed from the reservoir. However, the volume of fluid dispensed can also be affected by the properties of the fluid (e.g., viscosity), the mechanical properties of system components (e.g., flow resistance), and / or the compliance of the liquid deposition system.

[0007] The compliance of a liquid deposition system can be understood as a measure of the sensitivity of the system's components to expansion under pressure. The expansion of the components can store mechanical energy, such that when a valve is opened, this mechanical energy can be at least partially transferred to the pressurized fluid, facilitating the dispensing of liquid from the reservoir at a higher rate than could possibly come solely from pressure. Therefore, the rate of liquid dispensing can also be a function of the compliance of the system components, such that components with higher compliance (e.g., softer components) can produce higher rates than components with lower compliance (e.g., stiffer components).

[0008] The presence of air bubbles in a liquid deposition system (e.g., due to incomplete system purging or dissolved gases in the liquid) can also affect the system's flexibility. Air bubbles are typically elastic, allowing any bubbles present in the system to effectively store mechanical energy when the liquid is under pressure. When a valve is opened, the bubbles can release the stored energy, causing the fluid to be distributed at a higher velocity than might otherwise come from pressure alone. The amount of air bubbles present in the fluid can be difficult to determine, and the resulting changes in the velocity and volume of the distributed fluid can therefore be unpredictable, leading to inaccuracies in the distribution process. Attached Figure Description

[0009] It is believed that certain embodiments will be better understood through the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram depicting a liquid droplet distribution system;

[0011] Figure 2 It is depicted in Figure 1 A plot of a pair of curves showing the relationship between pressure and velocity of droplets in different fluid samples tested in a liquid droplet distribution system; and

[0012] Figure 3 It is depicted in Figure 1A pair of curves showing the relationship between the velocity and mass of droplets from different fluid samples tested in a liquid droplet distribution system. Detailed Implementation

[0013] Various non-limiting embodiments of this disclosure will now be described to provide a thorough understanding of the structure, function, and principles of use of the apparatuses, systems, methods, and processes disclosed herein. One or more examples of these non-limiting embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the systems and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting embodiments. Features illustrated or described in connection with one non-limiting embodiment may be combined with features of other non-limiting embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0014] Throughout this specification, references to "various embodiments," "some embodiments," "one embodiment," "some exemplary embodiments," "one exemplary embodiment," or "an embodiment" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with any embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Therefore, the appearance of the phrases "in various embodiments," "in some embodiments," "in one embodiment," "some exemplary embodiments," "one exemplary embodiment," or "in one embodiment" throughout this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, in one or more embodiments, particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner. In the various embodiments disclosed herein, a single component may be replaced by multiple components, and multiple components may be replaced by a single component to perform a given one or more functions. Such substitutions are within the scope of the embodiments unless they would not work.

[0015] This document describes example embodiments of apparatus, systems, and methods for collecting sample data from a liquid droplet dispensing system and using the sample data to determine the quality of the droplets without physically measuring the droplets.

[0016] The examples discussed herein are merely illustrative and are provided to aid in explaining the apparatuses, devices, systems, and methods described herein. For any specific implementation of any of these apparatuses, devices, systems, or methods, features or components shown in the accompanying drawings or discussed below should not be considered mandatory unless expressly specified as such. For ease of reading and clarity, certain components, modules, or methods may be described only in conjunction with specific accompanying drawings. Any combination or sub-combination of components that is not explicitly described should not be construed as an indication that any combination or sub-combination is impossible. Furthermore, for any method described, whether or not it is described in conjunction with a flowchart, it should be understood that, unless the context otherwise specifies or requires, any explicit or implicit order of steps performed in the execution of the method does not imply that those steps must be performed in the given order, but may be performed in a different order or in parallel.

[0017] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that at least some of the embodiments described herein can be implemented in many different embodiments of software, firmware, and / or hardware. The software and firmware code can be executed by a processor or any other similar computing device. The software code or dedicated control hardware that can be used to implement the embodiments is not limiting. For example, the embodiments described herein can be implemented in computer software using any suitable type of computer software language, such as conventional or object-oriented techniques. Such software can be stored on one or more suitable computer-readable media of any type, such as magnetic or optical storage media. The operation and behavior of the embodiments can be described without specific reference to specific software code or dedicated hardware components. It is feasible without such specific reference because it is clearly understood that those skilled in the art will be able to design software and control hardware to implement the embodiments based on this specification with only reasonable effort and without excessive experimentation.

[0018] Furthermore, the processes described herein can be executed by a programmable device such as a computer or computer system and / or processor. The software that enables the programmable device to execute the processes can be stored in any storage device, such as, for example, a computer system (non-volatile) memory, optical disc, magnetic tape, or disk. Moreover, at least some of the processes can be programmed when the computer system is manufactured or stored on various types of computer-readable media.

[0019] It is also understood that certain parts of the process described herein can be performed using instructions stored on one or more computer-readable media that instruct a computer system to perform process steps. Computer-readable media may include, for example, storage devices such as disks, optical discs (CDs), digital versatile optical discs (DVDs), optical disc drives, or hard disk drives. Computer-readable media may also include physical, virtual, permanent, temporary, semi-permanent, and / or semi-temporary storage.

[0020] The terms "computer," "computer system," "host," "server," or "processor" can be, for example, but not limited to, processors, microcomputers, minicomputers, servers, mainframes, laptop computers, personal data assistants (PDAs), wireless email devices, cellular phones, pagers, processors, fax machines, scanners, or any other programmable device configured to send and / or receive data over a network. The computer systems and computer-based devices disclosed herein may include memory for storing certain software modules used in acquiring, processing, and communicating information. It will be understood that such memory may be internal or external with respect to the operation of the disclosed embodiments. The memory may also include any components for storing software, including hard disks, optical disks, floppy disks, ROM (read-only memory), RAM (random access memory), PROM (programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM), and / or other computer-readable media. As used herein, non-transitory computer-readable media includes all computer-readable media other than transient propagation signals.

[0021] The computer system according to this disclosure can be accessed via any suitable technology executed on the client device, such as a web browser (e.g., Safari, Opera, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer). In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein can be web-based applications or standalone executables. Additionally, in some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein can be integrated with various types of computer systems, such as monitoring and control systems. Any suitable client device can be used to access or execute the computing system, such as a laptop computer, desktop computer, smartphone, tablet computer, gaming system, etc. The systems and methods described herein typically provide a real-time or near-real-time monitoring environment. Interaction with the system can include, but is not limited to, keyboard input, writing with a computer mouse using a pen, stylus, finger, etc., or other forms of input (speech recognition, etc.). Dashboards or other metrics can be displayed on tablets, desktops, etc.

[0022] Combination Figures 1 to 3 The view and examples, where the same number throughout the view indicates the same or corresponding element. Figure 1 An embodiment of a test system 10 is illustrated, which can be used to facilitate the testing of a liquid droplet dispensing system 12 as further described herein.

[0023] The test system 10 may include a computing system 14, which may be provided using any suitable processor-based device or system, such as a personal computer, mobile communication device, laptop computer, tablet computer, server, mainframe, or a collection of multiple computers (e.g., a network). The computing system 14 may include one or more processors 16 and one or more memory units 18. For convenience, in Figure 1 The diagram shows only one processor 16 and only one memory unit 18. Processor 16 can execute software instructions stored on memory unit 18. Processor 16 can be implemented as an integrated circuit (IC) with one or more cores. The computing system 14 can also utilize one or more graphics processing units (GPUs) to assist in various aspects of image processing. Memory unit 18 can include volatile and / or non-volatile memory units. For example, volatile memory units can include random access memory (RAM). For example, non-volatile memory units can include read-only memory (ROM) and mechanical non-volatile memory systems, such as hard disk drives, optical disk drives, etc. RAM and / or ROM memory units can be implemented, for example, as discrete memory ICs.

[0024] Memory unit 18 may store executable software and data for use by the computing system 14 described herein. When the processor 16 of the computing system 14 executes the software, the processor 16 may perform various operations of the computing system 14, such as collecting sample data, generating datasets from the sample data, and determining the mass of droplets from the sample data.

[0025] The data collected and used by the computing system 14 can be stored at various sources, such as data storage 20, which can be non-volatile computer memory, such as hard disk drives, read-only memory (e.g., ROM ICs), or other types of non-volatile memory. In some embodiments, for example, data storage 20 can be stored on a remote electronic computer system (e.g., cloud-based storage). It should be understood that various other data storage, databases, or other types of memory storage structures can be utilized or associated with the computing system 14.

[0026] The liquid droplet dispensing system 12 may include a reservoir 22, a pressure source 24 associated with the reservoir 22, and a valve 26 associated with the reservoir 22. The reservoir 22 may contain fluid 28, and the pressure source 24 may be configured to selectively deliver different pressures to the fluid 28 in the reservoir 22. In one embodiment, the pressure source 24 may be a pump. The valve 26 may be selectively actuated between a closed position and an open position to facilitate the dispensing of droplets 30 of fluid from the reservoir 22 onto a substrate 34. The pressure source 24 and the valve 26 may be associated with a controller 32 configured to control the pressure source 24 and the valve 26 to facilitate the dispensing of droplets 30 of fluid from the reservoir 22 onto the substrate 34. In one embodiment, the controller 32 may be an on-chip controller. The liquid droplet dispensing system 12 may include a velocity sensor 36 disposed adjacent to the valve 26 and configured to measure the velocity of the droplets 30 as they are dispensed from the valve 26 onto the substrate 34. In one embodiment, the velocity sensor 36 may include a timer having a pair of light barrier beams spaced a known distance apart. In such an embodiment, the velocity of the droplet 30 is measured based on the elapsed time between the interruption of the path of each light barrier beam by the droplet 30.

[0027] In one embodiment, the liquid droplet dispensing system 12 may be a surface testing device that facilitates the measurement of the wetting properties of a substrate. An example of such a surface testing device is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 8,272,254, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In another embodiment, the liquid droplet dispensing system 12 may be an inkjet printer. It should be understood that any of a variety of suitable alternative liquid droplet dispensing systems may be contemplated for use with respect to the methods and processes described below.

[0028] It should be understood that knowing the mass of droplet 30 can be useful in some liquid droplet dispensing systems. However, the fluid 28 used in the liquid droplet dispensing system 12 inherently contains entrained air (e.g., microbubbles), which affects the ability to accurately predict the mass at a given pressure and valve 26 opening time. The amount of entrained air contained in fluid 28 can be difficult to measure and / or control, and may vary each time fluid is supplied to reservoir 22. As a result, the mass of the dispensed droplets may be difficult to predict without physically measuring droplets 30, which may be difficult, and in some cases, impossible, to physically measure droplets 30 during field use of the liquid droplet dispensing system 12. A method for collecting sample data from the liquid droplet dispensing system 12 will now be discussed. For fluids with different amounts of entrained air, the sample data can be used to determine the mass of the droplets dispensed from the liquid droplet dispensing system 12.

[0029] First, reservoir 22 is filled with a first fluid sample (e.g., 28), which inherently contains an unknown amount of entrained air (e.g., this amount may be zero). A first pressure is applied to the first fluid sample via pressure source 24, and droplets are dispensed from reservoir 22 (e.g., 30) by opening and closing valve 26 for an elapsed time. The velocity of the droplets is measured using velocity sensor 36, and the mass of the droplets is weighed. The pressure, velocity, and mass of the droplets are recorded as data points in data storage 20 of computing system 14. Then, different pressures are applied to the first fluid sample, and different droplets are dispensed from reservoir 22 for the same (e.g., substantially the same) elapsed time as the previous droplets by opening and closing valve 26. The velocity of the droplets is measured using velocity sensor 36, and the mass of the droplets is weighed. The pressure, velocity, and mass of the different droplets are recorded as another data point for the first fluid sample in data storage 20 of computing system 14. This process is then repeated for different pressures until a sufficient dataset (e.g., grouping) has been generated for the first fluid sample.

[0030] In one embodiment, the test can be performed manually and recorded manually into the computing system 14 (e.g., via a keyboard). In another embodiment, the test can be performed automatically by the computing system 14, such that the dataset is automatically recorded into the computing system 14 (e.g., via a communication interface).

[0031] The dataset can represent the relationship between pressure, velocity, and droplet mass of the first fluid sample. Figure 2 The illustration shows an example of curve C1 generated from a dataset of a first fluid sample to illustrate the relationship between velocity and pressure in the first fluid sample. Curve C1 can include various data points P11-P15 from the dataset, which are curve-fitted (or otherwise extrapolated) to generate curve C1. Figure 3 The illustration shows an example of curve C11 generated from a dataset of a first fluid sample to illustrate the relationship between droplet mass and velocity in the first fluid sample. Curve C11 can include various data points P111-P115 from the dataset, which are curve-fitted (or otherwise extrapolated) to generate curve C11.

[0032] Once the first fluid sample has been tested, reservoir 22 is emptied and filled with a second fluid sample, which also contains an unknown amount of entrained air. Pressure is applied to the second fluid sample, and droplets are dispensed from reservoir 22. The velocity of the droplets is measured using velocity sensor 36, and the mass of the droplets is weighed. The pressure, velocity, and mass of the droplets are recorded as data points for the second fluid sample in data storage 20 of computing system 14. Different pressures are then applied to the second fluid sample, and different droplets are dispensed from reservoir 22 for the same (e.g., substantially the same) elapsed time as the previous droplets by opening and closing valve 26. The velocity of the droplets is measured using velocity sensor 36, and the mass of the droplets is weighed. The pressure, velocity, and mass of the different droplets are recorded as another data point for the second fluid sample in data storage 20 of computing system 14. This process is then repeated for different pressures until a sufficient dataset (e.g., grouping) has been generated for the second fluid sample.

[0033] The dataset can represent the relationship between pressure, velocity, and droplet mass of the second fluid sample. Figure 2 The illustration shows an example of curve C2 generated from a dataset of the first fluid sample to illustrate the relationship between velocity and pressure of the first fluid sample. Curve C2 can include various data points P21-P25 from the dataset, which are curve-fitted (or otherwise extrapolated) to generate curve C2. Figure 3 The illustration shows an example of curve C22 generated from a dataset of a first fluid sample to illustrate the relationship between droplet mass and velocity in the first fluid sample. Curve C22 may include various data points P221-P225 from the dataset, which are curve-fitted (or otherwise extrapolated) to generate curve C22.

[0034] It should be understood that this process can be repeated as needed for any number of fluid samples, fluid types, and / or valve opening times to generate a complete set of sample data for the liquid droplet dispensing system 12. Once testing is complete, the sample data (including any interpolated / estimated data) can be loaded onto the liquid droplet dispensing system 12 as comparison sample data as part of the commissioning process of the liquid droplet dispensing system 12. In one embodiment, the comparison sample data may include a lookup table.

[0035] During on-site operation of the liquid microdroplet dispensing system 12, each microdroplet can be dispensed from the system at specific pressures and valve opening times. During dispensing, the velocity of the microdroplet can be measured by a velocity sensor 36. The pressure, valve opening time, and microdroplet velocity can then be compared with comparative sample times to determine the mass of the microdroplet. Specifically, the pressure, valve opening time, and microdroplet velocity can be compared with each data point in the comparative sample data. The data point with the closest match between the pressure, valve opening time, and microdroplet velocity can be identified, and the mass listed at that data point can be used as the mass of the microdroplet. Therefore, comparative sample data can be used to determine the mass of the microdroplet more accurately than with conventional arrangements, without physically measuring the microdroplets.

[0036] It should be understood that the comparative sample data obtained from the liquid droplet dispensing system 12 can be deployed in other similar liquid droplet dispensing systems during manufacturing to allow each liquid droplet dispensing system to use the comparative sample data in a similar manner.

[0037] For purposes of illustration and description, the foregoing description of embodiments and examples of this disclosure has been provided. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit this disclosure to the forms described. Many modifications are possible in light of the foregoing teachings. Some of these modifications have been discussed, and others will be understood by those skilled in the art. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best illustrate the principles of this disclosure and various embodiments suitable for the particular intended use. Of course, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the examples or embodiments set forth herein, but can be employed by those skilled in the art in any number of applications and equivalent devices. Specifically, the scope of the invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims. Similarly, with respect to any method claimed and / or described, whether or not the method is described in conjunction with a flowchart, it should be understood that, unless the context otherwise specifies or requires, any explicit or implicit order of steps performed in the execution of the method does not mean that those steps must be performed in the given order, but may be performed in a different order or in parallel.

Claims

1. A method for operating a liquid droplet dispensing system, the liquid droplet dispensing system comprising a reservoir, the method comprising: Dispensing a first microdroplet of a first fluid sample from the reservoir under a first pressure, the first fluid sample having a first amount of entrained air contained therein; During the distribution under the first pressure, the first velocity of the first droplet is measured; Measure the first mass of the first microdroplet; Dispensing a second microdroplet of the first fluid sample from the reservoir under a second pressure; During the distribution under the second pressure, the second velocity of the second droplet is measured; Measure the second mass of the second microdroplet; A comparison dataset is generated based on the first velocity, the first pressure, the first mass, the second velocity, the second pressure, and the second mass; Dispensing microdroplets of a second fluid sample from the reservoir under a third pressure; During the dispensing under the third pressure, the third velocity of the droplets in the second fluid sample is measured; as well as The mass of the droplets in the second fluid sample is determined based on the third pressure, the third velocity, and the comparison dataset.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The liquid droplet dispensing system also includes a valve associated with the reservoir; Dispensing the first droplet of the first fluid sample includes opening the valve for a first predetermined time period; Dispensing the second droplet of the first fluid sample includes opening the valve for a second predetermined time period; and Dispensing the droplets of the second fluid sample involves opening the valve for a third predetermined time period, wherein the first predetermined time period, the second predetermined time period, and the third predetermined time period are substantially the same.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid droplet dispensing system further comprises a velocity sensor for measuring the first velocity, the second velocity, and the third velocity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the speed sensor includes a timer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the liquid droplet dispensing system includes a surface testing device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Identify a first relationship between the first pressure, the first velocity, and the first mass of the first fluid sample; as well as Identify a second relationship between the second pressure, the second velocity, and the second mass of the first fluid sample, wherein the mass of the droplets of the second fluid sample is also determined based on the first relationship and the second relationship.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: Dispensing the first microdroplet of the third fluid sample from the reservoir under a fourth pressure; During the dispensing under the fourth pressure, the fourth velocity of the first droplet of the third fluid sample is measured; Measure the fourth mass of the first droplet of the third fluid sample; Dispensing a second microdroplet of the third fluid sample from the reservoir under a fifth pressure; During the dispensing under the fifth pressure, the fifth velocity of the second droplet of the third fluid sample is measured; as well as Measure the fifth mass of the second droplet of the third fluid sample; The comparison dataset is also based on the fourth velocity, the fourth pressure, the fourth mass, the fifth velocity, the fifth pressure, and the fifth mass.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The liquid droplet dispensing system also includes a valve associated with the reservoir; Dispensing the first droplet of the first fluid sample includes opening the valve for a first predetermined time period; Dispensing the second droplet of the first fluid sample includes opening the valve for a second predetermined time period; Dispensing the droplets of the second fluid sample includes opening the valve for a third predetermined time period; Dispensing the first droplet of the third fluid sample includes opening the valve for a fourth predetermined time period; and Dispensing the second droplet of the third fluid sample includes opening the valve for a fifth predetermined time period, wherein the first predetermined time period, the second predetermined time period, the third predetermined time period, the fourth predetermined time period, and the fifth predetermined time period are substantially the same.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising: Identify a fourth relationship between the fourth pressure, the fourth velocity, and the fourth mass of the third fluid sample; as well as A fifth relationship is identified between the fifth pressure, the fifth velocity, and the fifth mass of the third fluid sample, wherein the mass of the droplets of the second fluid sample is also determined based on the fourth relationship and the fifth relationship.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the liquid droplet dispensing system further comprises a timer for measuring the first velocity, the second velocity, the third velocity, the fourth velocity, and the fifth velocity.

11. A method for collecting sample data from a liquid droplet dispensing system, the liquid droplet dispensing system comprising a reservoir, the method comprising: Dispensing microdroplets of a first fluid sample from the reservoir under a first pressure, the first fluid sample having a first amount of entrained air contained therein; During the dispensing process at the first pressure, the first velocity of the droplets in the first fluid sample is measured; Measure the first mass of the droplets in the first fluid sample; The first fluid sample was further tested in a repeating pattern and in the following order: Dispensing different droplets of the first fluid sample from the reservoir at different first fluid sample pressures that are different from the first pressure; During the distribution at different first fluid sample pressures, the velocities of different droplets in the first fluid sample were measured; as well as Measure the mass of different droplets in the first fluid sample; A comparison dataset is generated based on the first velocity, the first pressure, the first mass, the pressure of each different first fluid sample, the velocity of each different droplet of the first fluid sample, and the mass of each different droplet of the first fluid sample. Dispensing microdroplets of a second fluid sample from the reservoir under a second pressure; During the distribution under the second pressure, the second velocity of the droplets in the second fluid sample is measured; as well as The mass of the droplets in the second fluid sample is determined based on the second pressure, the second velocity, and the comparison dataset.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The liquid droplet dispensing system also includes a valve associated with the reservoir; Dispensing the first droplet of the first fluid sample includes opening the valve for a first predetermined time period; Dispensing each different droplet of the first fluid sample includes opening the valve for a second predetermined time period; and Dispensing the first droplet of the second fluid sample includes opening the valve for a third predetermined time period, wherein the first predetermined time period, the second predetermined time period, and the third predetermined time period are substantially the same.

13. A liquid droplet distribution testing system, comprising: A liquid droplet dispensing system, including; A reservoir is configured to contain fluid; A pressure source is configured to selectively apply different pressures to the fluid in the reservoir; A valve associated with the reservoir, and the valve is configured to be selectively actuated between a closed position and an open position to facilitate the dispensing of droplets of fluid from the reservoir; A speed sensor is disposed adjacent to the valve, and the speed sensor is configured to measure the velocity of the droplets as they are dispensed from the valve; A controller associated with the pressure source and the valve, and the controller is configured to: The pressure source is operated to facilitate pressurization of a first fluid sample in the reservoir to a first pressure, the first fluid sample having a first amount of entrained air contained therein. Operate the valve to facilitate the dispensing of a first microdroplet of the first fluid sample from the reservoir under the first pressure; Operate the pressure source to facilitate pressurizing the first fluid sample in the reservoir to the second pressure; Operate the valve to facilitate the dispensing of a second microdroplet of the first fluid sample from the reservoir under the second pressure; Operate the pressure source to facilitate pressurizing the second fluid sample in the reservoir to a third pressure; as well as Operate the valve to facilitate the dispensing of microdroplets of the second fluid sample from the reservoir under the third pressure; as well as A computing system, including one or more processors, said one or more processors being configured to: During the dispensing process under the first pressure, the first velocity of the first droplet of the first fluid sample is measured via the velocity sensor; Measure the first mass of the first droplet in the first fluid sample; During the dispensing process under the second pressure, the second velocity of the second droplet of the first fluid sample is measured via the velocity sensor; Measure the second mass of the second droplet in the first fluid sample; A comparison dataset is generated based on the first velocity, the first pressure, the first mass, the second velocity, the second pressure, and the second mass; During the dispensing under the third pressure, the third velocity of the droplets of the second fluid sample is measured via the velocity sensor; as well as The mass of the droplets in the second fluid sample is determined based on the third pressure, the third velocity, and the comparison dataset.

14. The liquid droplet distribution testing system according to claim 13, wherein: Operating the valve to facilitate the dispensing of the first droplet of the first fluid sample includes opening the valve for a first predetermined time period; Operating the valve to facilitate the dispensing of a second microdroplet of the first fluid sample includes opening the valve for a second predetermined time period; Operating the valve to facilitate the dispensing of droplets from the second fluid sample includes opening the valve for a third predetermined time period; and The first predetermined time period, the second predetermined time period, and the third predetermined time period are substantially the same.

15. The liquid droplet distribution testing system according to claim 13, wherein: The one or more processors are further configured to identify a first relationship between the first pressure, the first velocity, and the first mass of the first fluid sample; The one or more processors are further configured to identify a second relationship between the second pressure, the second velocity, and the second mass of the first fluid sample; as well as The mass of the droplets in the second fluid sample is also determined based on the first relationship and the second relationship.

16. The liquid droplet distribution testing system according to claim 13, wherein: The controller is also configured to: Operate the pressure source to facilitate pressurizing the third fluid sample in the reservoir to a fourth pressure; Operate the valve to facilitate the dispensing of the first microdroplet of the third fluid sample from the reservoir under a fourth pressure; Operate the pressure source to facilitate pressurizing the third fluid sample in the reservoir to the fifth pressure; as well as Dispensing a second microdroplet of the third fluid sample from the reservoir under a fifth pressure; as well as The one or more processors are further configured to: During the dispensing under the fourth pressure, the fourth velocity of the first droplet of the third fluid sample is measured via the velocity sensor; Measure the fourth mass of the first droplet of the third fluid sample; During the dispensing under the fifth pressure, the fifth velocity of the second droplet of the third fluid sample is measured via the velocity sensor; as well as Measure the fifth mass of the second droplet of the third fluid sample; The comparison dataset is also based on the fourth velocity, the fourth pressure, the fourth mass, the fifth velocity, the fifth pressure, and the fifth mass.

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