Micro-fluidic Mixer for Rapid Pathogen Inactivation Kinetics
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods fail to accurately and quickly determine the adequacy of chlorine wash solutions in inactivating pathogens during fresh produce processing, particularly at rapid contact times, due to the rapid decline of free chlorine concentration in the presence of organic matter.
Innovation Solution
A micro-fluidic mixer system that combines bacterial and chlorine solutions, with precise control over contact time, using computational fluid dynamics to analyze the kinetics of pathogen inactivation, allowing for rapid determination of free chlorine concentration and pathogen survival.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional methods are used to determine pathogen inactivation, then measurement accuracy is insufficient, but the micro-fluidic mixer enables rapid determination in less than 0.1 second
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs micro-fluidic hydraulic systems to precisely control and mix sanitizer and pathogen solutions at controlled flow rates, enabling rapid mixing and reaction in less than 0.1 second while maintaining measurement accuracy through controlled fluid dynamics
Solution Approach 2:
The system varies flow rate parameters to control contact time between sanitizer and pathogen, allowing optimization of both measurement speed and accuracy by adjusting hydraulic parameters in the micro-fluidic system
2Reliability
If free chlorine concentration is maintained high to ensure pathogen inactivation, then sanitizer effectiveness is improved, but the rapid reaction with organic matter causes concentration to decline rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary mixing of sanitizer and pathogen solutions in controlled micro-fluidic channels before introduction to organic matter, ensuring pathogen inactivation occurs during the controlled contact period when sanitizer concentration is known and effective
Solution Approach 2:
The micro-fluidic mixer acts as an intermediary device that controls the interaction between sanitizer and pathogen separately from organic matter, allowing accurate determination of inactivation kinetics without the confounding rapid reaction with organic materials
3Reliability
If contact time is extended to ensure complete pathogen inactivation, then inactivation effectiveness is improved, but the ability to measure rapid response kinetics is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts flow rates in the micro-fluidic channels to precisely control contact time, enabling measurement of rapid response kinetics at very short timescales while maintaining sufficient inactivation effectiveness through optimized flow conditions
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
Enables quick and accurate assessment of pathogen inactivation kinetics in less than 0.1 seconds, providing critical data on the minimum free chlorine concentration required to prevent pathogen survival and cross-contamination during produce washing.
Implementation Method 1
The sanitizer fluid and the pathogen fluid converge at a first y-injection mixer so that the first y-injection mixer mixes the sanitizer fluid and the pathogen fluid. The sanitizer fluid/pathogen fluid mix then flows into a first Dean's vortex mixer.
Implementation Method 2
The sanitizer fluid/pathogen fluid mix then flows into a first Dean's vortex mixer
Implementation Method 3
Free chlorine concentration is determined using a standard colorimetric method
Data Source
AI summary
A sample of produce wash water containing an antimicrobial sanitizer fluid, and a reference pathogen fluid are both injected into a pathogen inactivation region of a micro-fluidic mixer. The produce wash water (i.e. sanitizer fluid/pathogen fluid mix) is directed through mixer elements in the pathogen inactivation region of the micro-fluidic mixer. In the sanitizer deactivation region, a sanitizer deactivation solution is added to the sanitizer fluid/pathogen fluid mix to produce a deactivated solution. The deactivated solution is evaluated for the presence of the pathogen and the characteristics of the sanitizer. In the preferred embodiment, the sanitizer comprises chlorine and the pathogen comprises E. coli bacteria.