Device and method for creating spherical particles of uniform size
First Claim
1. A monodispersion of bubbles of a gas in a first liquid, the bubbles characterized by having the same diameter with a deviation in diameter from one particle to another in a range of from about ±
- 3% to about ±
30%.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Spherical particles having a size on the order of 0.1 to 100 microns in size are created by systems and devices of several types. The device includes a source of a stream of gas which is forced through a liquid held under pressure in a pressure chamber with an exit opening therein. The stream of gas surrounded by the liquid in the pressure chamber flows out of an exit orifice of the chamber into a liquid thereby creating a monodispersion of bubbles with substantially uniform diameter. The bubbles are small in size and produced with a relatively small amount of energy relative to comparable systems. Small particles of liquid may also be produced. Applications of the technology range from oxygenating sewage with monodispersions of bubbles to inhalation therapy with monodisperse aerosol dispersions of pharmaceutically active drugs.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A monodispersion of bubbles of a gas in a first liquid, the bubbles characterized by having the same diameter with a deviation in diameter from one particle to another in a range of from about ±
- 3% to about ±
30%. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
- 3% to about ±
-
11. A method of diffusing molecules of a gas into a liquid, comprising the steps of:
-
forcing a gas from a source opening into a first liquid in a manner so as to create a flow stream of the gas through the first liquid wherein the gas is comprised of molecules to be diffused into a second liquid;
moving the first liquid, in a pressure chamber surrounding the source opening, out of an exit orifice in the pressure chamber wherein the flow stream of the gas flows out the exit orifice into the second liquid wherein the flow stream breaks up forming bubbles of the gas in the second liquid; and
allowing molecules in the gas bubbles to diffuse into the second liquid. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A device for creating aerosolized particles, comprising:
-
a first means for providing a first fluid comprising a first fluid entrance port and a first fluid exit port;
a pressure chamber for providing a pressurized fluid to an area surrounding the first fluid exit port, the pressure chamber comprising a second fluid entrance port and a second fluid exit port;
wherein the first means for providing the first fluid is a feeding needle having a cylindrical channel therein whereby the first fluid entrance port and first fluid exit port are each circular; and
wherein the feeding needle exit port has a diameter in the range of from about 0.002 to about 2 mm, and the pressure chamber exit port has a diameter in the range of about 0.002 mm to about 2 mm. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification