Analytical Flow Field Particle Characterization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC) faces challenges with low throughput, high costs, and safety hazards, limiting its use in industrial environments for characterizing particles, particularly due to the need for expensive and dangerous centrifugal equipment.

Innovation Solution

The use of a static flow field in a sample cell with a sample cuvette and reference cuvette, allowing a concentration boundary to form and move towards the bottom until equilibrium is reached, which is faster, safer, and more cost-effective than traditional centrifugal methods.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If analytical ultracentrifugation is used to characterize particles, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity decreases and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticle characterization precisionVSAvoidthroughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical centrifugal field system with a static flow field system. Instead of using expensive and dangerous centrifugal equipment to achieve particle separation and characterization, the invention uses a controlled flow field that moves particles through a detection zone, achieving the same characterization goals with improved safety, lower cost, and higher throughput suitable for industrial environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Measurement precision

If analytical ultracentrifugation is used to characterize particles, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticle characterization precisionVSAvoidequipment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the complex mechanical centrifugal field system with a simpler static flow field system. The invention eliminates the need for expensive centrifugal equipment by using a controlled flow field that achieves particle separation and characterization through fluid dynamics rather than mechanical rotation, thereby reducing device complexity and cost while maintaining measurement precision

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a static flow field as an intermediary mechanism to achieve particle characterization. Instead of directly using complex centrifugal forces, the flow field acts as a mediator that controls particle movement through a detection zone, enabling precise characterization while simplifying the overall system architecture and reducing equipment requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If analytical ultracentrifugation is used to characterize particles, then measurement precision is improved, but safety hazards increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticle characterization precisionVSAvoidsafety hazards

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the dangerous centrifugal field system with a safe static flow field system. The invention eliminates safety hazards associated with high-speed rotation and centrifugal forces by using a controlled flow field that achieves the same particle characterization goals without mechanical danger, making the system suitable for routine industrial use

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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 increases throughput by reaching equilibrium in minutes, reduces costs and safety hazards, and provides a new method for characterizing particles, potentially becoming a new gold standard for protein particle conformation, structure, stability, and interaction analysis.

Implementation Method 1

the sample cell is configured to allow a concentration boundary to form within the sample cell, and to allow the concentration boundary to move toward a bottom of the sample cell until equilibrium is reached in the sample cell

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConcentration boundary formation and movement: Diffusion

Data Source

PatentUS11614393B2Characterizing particles via an analytical flow field

Publication Date: 2023.03.28 WYATT TECHNOLOGY CORP

AI summary

The present disclosure describes a sample cell, method, and a computer implemented method of characterizing particles via an analytical flow field. In an exemplary embodiment, the sample cell includes (1) a sample cuvette including a top sample membrane, a sample container to contain a sample, and a bottom sample membrane, (2) a reference cuvette including a top reference membrane, a reference container to contain a solvent, and a bottom reference membrane, (3) where the sample cell is configured to allow a concentration boundary to form within the sample cell, and (4) where the sample cell is configured to allow the concentration boundary to move toward a bottom of the sample cell until equilibrium is reached in the sample cell.