Electroporation Device Shielding Part Suppresses Electric Field Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In flow-type electroporation devices, electric field concentration at the edges of electrodes can lead to heat generation and discharge, damaging cells and deteriorating electrodes, as existing technologies do not effectively suppress these issues.
Innovation Solution
An electroporation device with a shielding part of higher volume resistivity than the suspension, positioned between facing electrode surfaces, particularly within 2 mm from the edge connections, to cut current and reduce electric field concentration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the distance between electrodes is increased due to scaling up of the flow passage, then the processing capacity is improved, but the electric field concentration is increased causing heat generation or discharge
Solution Approach 1:
A shielding part made of insulating material is introduced as an intermediary component between the electrodes. This shielding part is positioned at the edge region within 2 mm from the end part plane of the electrodes and has a volume resistivity higher than that of the suspension. The shielding part acts as a mediator that redirects the electric field lines, preventing concentration at the electrode edges while allowing the electrodes to be spaced farther apart for increased processing capacity.
2Reliability
If the electric field concentration is suppressed to prevent heat generation and discharge, then the cell damage and electrode deterioration are prevented, but the processing capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The shielding part is positioned only at the edge region of the electrodes (within 2 mm from the end part plane), while the central region of the electrodes remains without shielding. This local application of the shielding function allows the electric field to be concentrated in the center region for effective electroporation, while the edge region is protected from excessive field concentration that would cause heat generation and discharge. This resolves the contradiction by allowing both high reliability and maintained productivity.
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
The shielding part effectively suppresses electric field concentration, preventing heat generation and discharge, thus protecting cells and electrodes, even during scaling up of the flow passage.
Implementation Method 1
a shielding part which has a higher volume resistivity than a volume resistivity of the suspension
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided are an electroporation device and an electroporation method, in which electric field concentration is suppressed. The electroporation device of the present invention is an electroporation device which introduces a bioactive substance into a biologically derived material in a suspension containing the biologically derived material and the bioactive substance. The electroporation device includes an electrode pair in which electrodes having electrode surfaces are arranged with the electrode surfaces facing each other, a power supply part which applies a voltage to the electrode pair, and a shielding part which has a higher volume resistivity than a volume resistivity of the suspension. At least a part of the shielding part is disposed in a flow passage between the facing electrode surfaces, and is disposed at a region where a distance from end part planes which are obtained by connecting outer edges of the facing electrode surfaces in a first direction orthogonal to both the facing electrode surfaces is within 2 mm in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and parallel to the electrode surfaces.