Tangential Flow Filtration for Biological Particle Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current filtration systems face challenges in efficiently concentrating dilute biological particles from large volumes of liquid, leading to detection limitations in fields like bioterrorism security, medicine, and environmental science, particularly due to slow processing times and inefficiencies in separating particles by size.
Innovation Solution
A tangential flow filtration system using hollow fiber filters and a foam extraction method to concentrate biological particles, allowing for rapid reduction of sample volume and efficient separation of particles by size, with the use of foam to extract trapped particles from filters, enabling quick cleaning and analysis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If centrifugation is used to concentrate particles, then particle concentration is achieved, but processing time becomes excessively long (minutes to hours)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical centrifugation system with an acoustic field-based system. Acoustic radiation pressure and acoustic streaming effects are used to manipulate and concentrate particles, eliminating the need for mechanical rotation and high g-forces while dramatically reducing processing time from hours to minutes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the system by introducing acoustic fields with specific frequencies and intensities. By adjusting acoustic parameters (frequency, power, transducer configuration), the system achieves particle concentration through non-mechanical means, fundamentally altering the concentration mechanism from centrifugal force to acoustic radiation pressure.
2Quantity of substance
If traditional filtration is used to capture particles, then particle separation is achieved, but filter clogging occurs and requires replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical filtration with acoustic field-based particle manipulation. Acoustic radiation pressure creates standing wave patterns that trap and concentrate particles at specific locations without physical contact with filter media, eliminating clogging and replacement requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic fields as an intermediary between the particle suspension and the concentration target. The acoustic field acts as a non-contact mediator that guides and concentrates particles through radiation pressure and streaming effects, avoiding direct mechanical interaction that would cause filter clogging.
3Quantity of substance
If centrifugation is used for particle separation, then particle concentration is achieved, but size fractionation becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses adjustable acoustic parameters (frequency, amplitude, transducer positioning) to control particle concentration and size fractionation. By varying these parameters, different particle size ranges can be selectively manipulated and separated, providing precise size fractionation capability that is difficult to achieve with fixed centrifugation protocols.
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 system achieves significant volume reduction of samples in minutes, improving detection limits and enabling efficient analysis of small sample volumes, facilitating automated systems and reducing the need for manual concentration steps.
Implementation Method 1
A concentrator cell or system may be used to force liquid through a hollow fiber filter
Implementation Method 2
The filter may be extracted using a small volume of biologically and analytically compatible foamed wash buffer
Data Source
AI summary
A rapid one-pass liquid filtration system efficiently concentrates biological particles that are suspended in liquid from a dilute feed suspension. A sample concentrate or retentate suspension is retained while eliminating the separated fluid in a separate flow stream. Suspended biological particles include such materials as proteins/toxins, viruses, DNA, and/or bacteria in the size range of approximately 0.001 micron to 20 microns diameter. Concentration of these particles is advantageous for detection of target particles in a dilute suspension, because concentrating them into a small volume makes them easier to detect. Additional concentration stages may be added in “cascade” fashion, in order to concentrate particles below the size cut of each preceding stage remaining in the separated fluid in a concentrated sample suspension. This process can also be used to create a “band-pass” concentration for concentration of a particular target size particle within a narrow range.