Agitation Chamber Wall Oscillation for Fluid Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fluid agitation methods in compact analysis apparatuses face challenges such as high costs due to the need for minute magnetically driven agitation particles, which can fail to properly mix fluids at higher rotation speeds, leading to inefficient agitation and prolonged analysis times.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an agitation chamber with a wall of uneven mass distribution, where oscillations are applied in a specific frequency range to generate a swirling flow, eliminating the need for agitation particles and enhancing mixing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If magnetically driven agitation particles are used to mix blood and diluting fluid, then fluid agitation can be achieved, but the cost increases due to the need for minute magnetic particles
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the agitation particles from the system. Instead of using magnetic particles to drive agitation, the patent applies oscillation directly to the chamber wall, which then transmits the oscillation to the fluid, achieving particle-free agitation that reduces cost while maintaining effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the magnetic field-based agitation mechanism with a mechanical oscillation system. By applying oscillation to the chamber wall, the system transforms magnetic particle-driven agitation into wall-mediated fluid oscillation, eliminating the need for expensive magnetic particles
2Productivity
If the rotation speed of the agitation arm is increased to improve mixing efficiency, then agitation time is reduced, but the magnetic particles fail to properly follow the arm movement due to fluid resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The chamber wall serves as an intermediary that transmits oscillation directly to the fluid. Instead of relying on magnetic particles to follow arm movement, the wall oscillation directly couples energy to the fluid, ensuring faithful energy transfer even at high speeds without the lag problem of particle-following
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs mechanical vibration by applying oscillation to the chamber wall. This vibrational approach creates fluid motion through direct wall-fluid coupling, allowing high-speed agitation without the tracking errors that occur when magnetic particles fail to follow rapid arm movements
3Reliability
If conventional magnetic agitation is used, then fluid mixing can be achieved, but the stagnation point remains fixed leading to incomplete mixing in certain regions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamics by applying oscillation at multiple frequencies to the chamber wall. This creates time-varying flow patterns that shift the stagnation point throughout the chamber, ensuring all regions receive adequate mixing without requiring complex multi-component agitation mechanisms
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 promotes effective fluid agitation without the need for agitation particles, reducing costs and improving mixing efficiency by shifting the stagnation point and generating various swirling flow patterns, thereby ensuring thorough fluid agitation.
Implementation Method 1
applying oscillation to the wall, characterized in that the application of oscillation is done by applying an oscillating excitation force to the wall in the thicknesswise direction of the wall with frequencies varying in a predetermined frequency range, thereby generating a swirling flow in the fluid
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A
Figure 3B
AI summary
A fluid agitation method is provided, whereby a swirling flow is generated in a trace amount of fluid, thereby agitating the fluid. The fluid agitation method includes introducing the fluid into an agitation chamber (3) including a wall having an uneven mass distribution, and applying oscillation (F) to the wall with frequencies varying in a predetermined frequency range. The uneven mass distribution of the wall is attained, for example, by arranging a plurality of thickened portions (11 to 18) of different thicknesses in a ring.