Method and apparatus for obtaining a suspension of particles

摘要

The present invention is a method and apparatus for obtaining a suspension of fine particles. The method has the steps of incorporating a compound in a variable density fluid as a fluid premixture, discharging the fluid premixture through a nozzle into a receiving liquid and forming particles of the compound. For certain compounds, mixing a surfactant with the receiving liquid prevents and retards agglomeration of the particles, and heating the nozzle prevents the formation of ice. The compound is preferably a pharmaceutical, and a biocompatible supercritical solvent maximizes solubility of the compound in the premixture. Fine particles of the compound are produced by rapid expansion of the supercritical fluid premixture in the receiving liquid.