Electroporation Reactor Bipolar Electrode Homogeneous Field
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electroporation reactor systems for sugar beet cells suffer from inefficiencies due to asymmetric voltage applications, leading to pulse current flow issues and regions with insufficient electric fields, requiring additional ground electrodes and reducing overall efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A reactor system with a central section in the reactor chamber, utilizing two pulse generators with electrodes A1 and A2, and B1 and B2, positioned to create a substantially homogeneous electric field oriented along the length, eliminating the need for additional ground electrodes and optimizing field strength between 0.1 and 20 kV/cm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If asymmetric voltage application is used in the reactor system, then electroporation treatment can be performed, but pulse current flows in the direction of material flow requiring additional ground electrodes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by using bipolar electrodes with different potentials (+U and -U) positioned at specific locations in the reactor chamber. This asymmetric voltage distribution creates an electric field that achieves effective electroporation treatment while eliminating the need for additional ground electrodes, as the field is contained between the two bipolar electrodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates equipotential regions by positioning the bipolar electrodes such that the electric field is concentrated in the treatment zone. The electrodes are arranged to establish equipotential surfaces that guide the electric field lines through the material flow path, ensuring uniform treatment without requiring ground electrodes outside the treatment zone.
2Volume of stationary object
If conventional electrode arrangement is used, then reactor chamber can be compact, but regions with low electric field strength occur below electroporation threshold
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by concentrating the electric field strength in specific regions of the reactor chamber where material treatment is required. The bipolar electrodes are positioned to create high field strength zones at the electrode surfaces and along the flow path, while maintaining compact overall chamber dimensions. This ensures that the electric field exceeds the electroporation threshold in the treatment zones.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from conventional planar electrode arrangements to a three-dimensional bipolar configuration. The electrodes are positioned at specific coordinates (x, y, z) within the reactor chamber to create a volumetric electric field distribution that maintains homogeneity throughout the treatment zone while keeping the chamber compact.
3Productivity
If material velocity is increased to process high mass flows, then throughput increases, but abrasion and pressure losses increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables continuous processing of high mass flows by maintaining a steady electric field between the bipolar electrodes throughout the material residence time in the reactor chamber. The continuous field application ensures that all material passes through the treatment zone with sufficient exposure time, achieving high productivity without requiring increased flow velocity that would cause abrasion and pressure losses.
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 configuration enhances electroporation efficiency by reducing low-field regions, allowing for larger-scale processing without increasing material velocity, thus minimizing system stress and maintaining homogeneous field distribution, enabling effective cell disruption for compound release.
Implementation Method 1
a first pulse generator to which two electrodes A1 and A2 are connected, whereby the electrodes A1 and A2 are located in the reactor chamber in the central section and such that they are, when measured in the length direction, at least a distance equalling half the width of the reactor chamber apart; a second pulse generator to which two electrodes B1 and B2 are connected
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a reactor system, comprising: - a reactor chamber having a length and a width, whereby the reactor chamber contains a central section along its length; - a first pulse generator to which two electrodes A1 and A2 are connected, whereby the electrodes A1 and A2 are located in the reactor chamber in the central section and such that they are, when measured in the length direction, at least a distance equalling half the width of the reactor chamber apart; - a second pulse generator to which two electrodes B1 and B2 are connected, whereby the electrodes B1 and B2 are located in the reactor chamber in the central section and such that they are, when measured in the length direction, at least a distance equalling half the width of the reactor chamber apart.