DIELECTROPHORETIC PROCESS FOR RETAINING POLARIZABLE TARGET-PARTICLES AND DEVICE FOR PERFORMING THAT PROCESS

摘要

A process and a device for retaining polarizable target-particles from a fluid suspension of polarizable target-particles comprising the steps of pumping that suspension into a vertical or inclined channel and applying an alternating electric field inducing a negative dielectrophoretic force on the target-particles, the force being sufficient to push them a distance of at least or about 25 µm from the surface of an electrode-bearing wall, thereby creating an upward-moving clarified fluid zone in the vicinity of that wall and a downward-moving target-particle containing fluid zone at a distance from that wall.