Acoustophoretic Separator for Bioreactor Particle Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional waste treatment systems, such as settling and skim tanks, require long residence times to separate suspended particles and fluids, which can be inefficient for small particles or those with densities close to water, due to factors like Brownian motion and gravitational settling limitations.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of acoustophoresis technology using ultrasonic transducers and reflectors to create standing waves in tanks or bioreactors, which accelerates the separation of particles or fluids by trapping them in nodal lines, allowing for coalescence or agglomeration and subsequent settling or floating, thereby enhancing separation efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional settling tanks are used to separate suspended particles from water, then separation occurs through gravitational settling, but the process requires long residence times and is inefficient for small particles or those with densities close to water
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies ultrasonic vibration to create standing waves in the settling tank. These standing waves generate acoustic radiation forces that act on suspended particles, accelerating their movement toward nodal lines and enhancing separation efficiency. The mechanical vibration disrupts Brownian motion effects and overcomes the limitations of gravitational settling alone, enabling faster separation without compromising effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the separation process by introducing acoustic fields with specific frequencies and intensities. By adjusting ultrasonic frequency, power, and tank geometry, the system optimizes standing wave patterns to target particles of different sizes and densities. This parameter modification transforms the separation mechanism from passive gravitational settling to active acoustophoretic separation, dramatically reducing required residence time.
2Volume of moving object
If the tank size is reduced to improve space utilization, then equipment footprint decreases, but separation effectiveness may be compromised due to insufficient residence time
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing ultrasonic standing waves, the system accelerates particle separation kinetics, allowing effective separation to occur in a compressed time frame. This enables the use of smaller tank volumes while maintaining separation effectiveness, as the acoustic field compensates for the reduced residence time that would normally result from smaller equipment footprint.
3Manufacturing precision
If small particles with radius less than 6 μm are targeted for separation, then finer particle removal is achieved, but Brownian motion causes particles to remain in suspension and separation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The ultrasonic standing waves create acoustic radiation forces that dominate over Brownian motion for particles as small as sub-micron sizes. The periodic acoustic field exerts directional forces on particles, overcoming the random thermal motion that normally keeps fine particles suspended. This enables reliable separation of ultra-fine particles that would be impossible to separate using gravity alone.
Solution Approach 2:
By adjusting ultrasonic frequency and intensity parameters, the system optimizes the acoustic radiation force to match the size and density characteristics of target particles. This parameter tuning enables selective and effective separation of particles in the sub-6 μm range, achieving both precision and reliability in fine particle removal.
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 significantly reduces separation time and improves the efficiency of particle or fluid separation, enabling the use of smaller equipment while maintaining separation effectiveness, and is applicable in both settling tanks and bioreactors for various particle sizes, including sub-micron particles.
Implementation Method 1
applying acoustic energy to the fluid with the transducer to create a plurality of incident waves; and reflecting the plurality of incident waves from the reflector, creating a plurality of reflected waves resonating with the incident waves, thus forming a plurality of standing waves in the fluid between the transducer and the reflector, wherein the fluid is separated from the particles or droplets by the standing waves
Implementation Method 2
a submersible acoustophoretic separator in the tank, the acoustophoretic separator having a transducer
Data Source
AI summary
A system for enhancing the separation of particles or fluids from water is disclosed. A tank or bioreactor is provided with an open submersible acoustophoretic separator. The separator captures and holds fluid droplets or particles such as cells, permitting them to coalesce or agglomerate until they are large enough and have sufficient buoyant or weight force to float/sink to the top/bottom of the tank or bioreactor. In a tank or bioreactor, the separator captures and holds particles until they are large enough that their weight causes them to settle out of the host fluid. The acoustophoretic device thus speeds up separation of the particles or droplets from the host fluid.