Acoustic Fluid Ejection with Feedback Control for Droplet Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fluid dispensing technologies face challenges such as air bubble entrapment, nozzle clogging, cross-contamination, and inaccurate droplet formation, particularly in combinatorial synthesis and analysis, where precise control over droplet size and power output is crucial for rare and expensive biomolecules.
Innovation Solution
The method involves acoustically coupling a fluid reservoir with an acoustic ejector to generate and adjust the amplitude of perturbation pulses, using frequency domain analysis to determine the necessary energy level for droplet formation, ensuring uniformity and accuracy in droplet ejection without mechanical invasion or tubing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acoustic ejection is used to dispense fluids, then cross-contamination and nozzle clogging are eliminated, but precise control over droplet size and power output becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback control by measuring the acoustic properties of the fluid in each reservoir and adjusting the ejection parameters accordingly. This allows the system to compensate for variations in fluid properties and achieve consistent droplet formation across different reservoirs while maintaining the advantages of acoustic ejection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes acoustic parameters (frequency, amplitude, pulse duration) based on measured fluid properties to optimize droplet ejection. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system maintains precise control over droplet size and power output despite using contactless acoustic ejection.
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional fluid dispensing methods are used, then droplet formation is easier to control, but air bubble entrapment and tubing clogging occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical fluid handling systems (tubing, nozzles, pipettes) with acoustic fields for fluid ejection. This substitution eliminates the mechanical components that cause clogging and bubble entrapment while using acoustic waves to achieve controlled droplet formation and delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The acoustic field acts as an intermediary between the control system and the fluid, enabling contactless manipulation of the fluid. This intermediary approach allows precise control over droplet formation without direct mechanical contact, thereby eliminating sources of contamination and clogging.
3Reliability
If acoustic energy levels are increased to ensure droplet ejection, then droplet formation reliability improves, but energy consumption and fluid waste increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by using the minimum necessary acoustic energy to achieve reliable droplet ejection. Rather than consistently applying high energy levels, the system measures fluid properties and applies just enough acoustic energy to ensure successful droplet formation, thereby reducing energy consumption and fluid waste while maintaining reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the precision and efficiency of fluid dispensing by minimizing waste, improving control over power output, and reducing cross-contamination, while maintaining the integrity of combinatorial methods by accurately determining the energy levels for droplet formation across multiple reservoirs.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic ejector that produces acoustic radiation. The ejector is activated to generate pulses of acoustic radiation through the substrate, to a site at or near the surface of the fluid in the reservoir
Implementation Method 2
The analyzer then follows the perturbation pulse with one or more perturbation interrogation pulses to adjust the amplitude of succeeding pulses in each reservoir to an acoustic energy output level sufficient to eject fluid droplets
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides apparatuses and methods for acoustically ejecting the fluid from a reservoir contained in or disposed on a substrate. The reservoir has a portion adapted to contain a fluid, and an acoustic radiation generator is positioned in acoustic coupling relationship to the reservoir. Acoustic radiation generated by the acoustic radiation generator is transmitted through at least the portion of the reservoir to an analyzer. The analyzer is capable of determining the energy level of the transmitted acoustic radiation and raising the energy level of subsequent pulses to a level sufficient to eject fluid droplets from the reservoir. The invention is particularly suited for delivering fluid from a plurality of reservoirs in an accurate and efficient manner.