Particle Sorter With Return-Loop Cartridge for High-Purity Sorting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing particle sorting technologies face a trade-off between purity and throughput, requiring slow flow velocities to achieve sufficient particle purity, especially when separating rare target particles, leading to prolonged processing times.
Innovation Solution
A particle sorter and method utilizing a micro flow path cartridge with a detection region, sorting region, and a return path for the target particle-containing sample, allowing multiple sorting operations by returning the sample to the detection region, enabling high-purity sorting at higher flow velocities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the flow velocity of the sample is slowed down to achieve sufficient particle purity, then the purity of target particles is improved, but the throughput decreases and sorting time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sorting process is segmented into multiple passes through the flow path. The sample flows through the detection region and sorting region, then returns to the beginning for additional sorting passes. This segmentation allows the system to achieve high purity through repeated sorting operations rather than requiring a single slow pass, thereby maintaining higher throughput while improving purity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sample flow is maintained continuously through the use of a return path that loops the sample back to the detection region. This continuous circulation allows multiple sorting operations to occur without stopping the flow, eliminating idle time between sorting passes and maintaining continuous productive action throughout the sorting process.
2Productivity
If the flow velocity is increased to improve throughput, then the productivity is improved, but the purity of sorted particles deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The sorting process is divided into multiple discrete passes through the flow path. Each pass contributes incrementally to the overall purity, with the cumulative effect of multiple passes achieving high purity even when each individual pass operates at higher flow velocities. This segmentation allows the system to trade off some purity per pass for significantly improved throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The sample undergoes periodic circulation through the flow path, repeatedly passing through the detection and sorting regions. This periodic action allows the system to accumulate sorting effectiveness over multiple cycles, achieving high purity through repeated exposure to the sorting mechanism rather than requiring a single slow, highly selective pass.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple sorting operations are performed by returning the sample to upstream, then the purity of target particles is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection region, sorting region, and return path are merged into a single integrated flow path structure. The sample flow continuously cycles through these regions without requiring separate systems or complex external manipulation, combining multiple functions into a unified, relatively simple microfluidic circuit that achieves multiple sorting passes through elegant integration rather than additive complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
To shorten the time required to sort target particles with sufficient purity, a particle sorter is provided. A particle sorter 200 including a micro flow path cartridge 10 having a first flow path 10 with a detection area 11 and a sorting area 12, a second flow path 20 for returning the target particle-containing sample 81 upstream from the detection region 11 of the first flow path 10, an installation unit 110 of the micro flow path cartridge 100, a liquid feeding unit 120, a detection unit 130 that outputs a signal corresponding to the target particles 91 passing through the detection region 11, a sorting mechanism 140 configured to perform a sorting operation of the target particle-containing sample 81 in a sorting region 12 based on the signal from the detection unit 130, and a control unit 150 for controlling the liquid feeding unit 120 so as to return the sorted target particle-containing sample 81 upstream of the detection region 11 of the first flow path 10 via the second flow path 20, and controlling the sorting mechanism 140 so as to perform a sorting operation on the returned target particle-containing sample 81.