Apparatus and method for separation of particles suspended in a liquid from the liquid in which they are suspended

摘要

A method for separating, or removing, particulate material, e.g., blood cells, from a sample of fluid, e.g., whole blood of a patient, in which the particulate material is suspended. In the case of separating blood cells from blood plasma or blood serum, the resulting samples of blood plasma or blood serum can be used for in vitro diagnostic applications. In normal practice, a whole blood sample of a patient are provided and then introduced into an apparatus that contains a flow channel. An acoustic field, which contains acoustic standing waves from external ultrasonic transducers, is located within the flow channel. Laminar flow is maintained in the flow channel. Blood cells and platelets are separated from blood plasma or blood serum at the end of the flow channel and collected. The method described herein allows fluid components to differentially migrate to areas of preferred acoustic interaction. The parameters that affect separation of particles are size, density, compressibility of the particles, and the fluid surrounding the particles.

主权项

1. A method for removing particles from a sample of fluid comprising a particulate component suspended in a liquid component, said method comprising:
providing a sample of fluid; introducing the sample of fluid into an apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a flow channel defined by a first layer and a second layer, the flow channel comprising:
a first section having a first width;a second section having a cross section that increases to a second width, then decreases to a third width; anda third section having the third width, a first end of the second section coupled to the first section and a second end of the second section coupled to the third section;an inlet channel extending through one of the first layer or the second layer and coupled to the first section;a first outlet channel extending through one of the first layer or the second layer and coupled to the second section; anda second outlet channel extending through one of the first layer or the second layer and coupled to the third section; providing an acoustic field within the flow channel, which field contains acoustic standing waves generated by external ultrasonic transducers; maintaining a laminar flow of the sample of fluid in the flow channel; removing near field acoustic effects; separating the particulate component from the liquid component; and collecting the liquid component.