Reactor for the treatment of a sample medium

• US 20040013584A1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica GmbH (C.H. Boehringer Sohn AG & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Steckenborn, Arno, Arndt, Frank, Ronsch, Hendrik
• Granted Patent: US 7,396,515 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/186.04
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3031 using electro-hydrodynamic [EHD] or electro-kinetic [EKI] phenomena to mix or move the fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3032 using magneto-hydrodynamic [MHD] phenomena to mix or move the fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/451 wherein the mixture is directly exposed to an electromagnetic field without use of a stirrer, e.g. for material comprising ferromagnetic particles or for molten metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00481 by the use of moving stirrers within the reaction vessels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00853 Employing electrode arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00889 Mixing micromixers B01F33/30
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0093 Electric or magnetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/043 magnetic forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043

Abstract

A reactor with a reaction chamber (14), which is produced for example by etching or other micro-mechanical production processes. An agitating device (20) is formed for example by an electrical field generator (18), which acts on electrical charge carriers (21) of the sample fluid, and consequently leads to circulation or mixing of the sample fluid. As an alternative, a magnetic field generator which acts on magnetic particles in the sample fluid may also be used. The reactor permits the extensive miniaturization of test reactors for bioprocesses, since circulation of the fluid to achieve a quasi steady-state bioprocess is possible the agitating devices even under extremely confined spatial conditions.

Claims

1. A reactor comprising a reactor chamber (14, 14a, b) of a micro-mechanical construction for a sample medium containing electrical charge carriers and a generator (20) for an electrostatic field which is effective in the interior of the reaction chamber (14, 14a, b) and is cyclically reversed in its polarity and/or locally varied.

2. The reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the generator has at least one pair of electrodes.

3. The reactor as claimed in claim 2, wherein the electrodes (22) are formed by a layer on the reaction chamber (14, 14a, b).

4. The reactor as claimed in claim 2, wherein in the case of an elongate reaction chamber, a number of pairs of electrodes are nested one inside the other along its length.

5. The reactor as claimed in claim 3, wherein in the case of an elongate reaction chamber, a number of pairs of electrodes are nested one inside the other along its length.

9. The reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reaction chamber is annular.

6. A reactor comprising a reactor chamber (14, 14a, b) of a micro-mechanical construction for a sample medium containing magnetic particles and a generator (20) for a magnetic field which is effective in the interior of the reaction chamber (14, 14a, b) and is cyclically reversed in its polarity and/or locally varied.

7. The reactor as claimed in claim 6, wherein the generator is a rotating magnet.

8. The reactor as claimed in claim 6, wherein, in the case of an elongate reaction chamber, a number of electrical magnetic coils are arranged as generators one after the other along its length.

10. The reactor as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reaction chamber is annular.