Apparatus for separating a mixture
First Claim
1. Apparatus for separating a mixture of particles by selective retardation of some of the particles comprising:
- a chamber with an inlet and an outlet,means for providing an eluant flow between said inlet and said outlet,an electrode structure of at least two electrodes disposed within the chamber,means for applying an alternating voltage between the electrodes, said electrode structure being such that when energized in operation of the apparatus there is established in the eluant a spatially non-uniform alternating field, where particles caused to flow through the chamber in said eluant flow are carried past the electrode structure and are separated into fractions,wherein an auxiliary electrode structure is placed upstream of the main electrode structure, the auxiliary electrode structure being energized in use, such that substantially all the particles are collected into a relatively small volume.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for separating a mixture of particles comprising a chamber with an inlet and an outlet, means for providing an eluant flow between said inlet and said outlet, within the chamber an electrode structure of at least two electrodes, means for applying an alternating voltage between the electrodes, said electrode structure being such that when energized in operation of the apparatus there is established in the eluant a spatially non-uniform alternating field, whereby particles caused to flow through the chamber in said eluant flow are carried past the electrode structure and are separated into fractions. There may be an ancillary electrode structure of at least two electrodes placed upstream of the main electrode structure with regard to the direction of the flow of fluid. At least one of the electrodes of the electrode structure may be comprised of one or more grid like structures. The electrode structure may be comprised of interleaved grid like structures aligned to obstruct straight through flow.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. Apparatus for separating a mixture of particles by selective retardation of some of the particles comprising:
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a chamber with an inlet and an outlet, means for providing an eluant flow between said inlet and said outlet, an electrode structure of at least two electrodes disposed within the chamber, means for applying an alternating voltage between the electrodes, said electrode structure being such that when energized in operation of the apparatus there is established in the eluant a spatially non-uniform alternating field, where particles caused to flow through the chamber in said eluant flow are carried past the electrode structure and are separated into fractions, wherein an auxiliary electrode structure is placed upstream of the main electrode structure, the auxiliary electrode structure being energized in use, such that substantially all the particles are collected into a relatively small volume. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. Method for separating a mixture of particles using an apparatus including a chamber;
- a main electrode structure of at least two electrodes disposed within the chamber;
means for applying an alternating voltage between the electrodes, and an ancillary electrode structure disposed upstream of the main electrode structure, the method including;providing a spatially non-uniform alternating electric field in the chamber, providing a flow of eluant through the chamber and the electric field, eluting a limited sample of said mixture with said eluant, passing the eluted sample through the electric field, causing or permitting the different types of particles in the mixture to be retarded differentially; and producing a flow of fractions of different types of particles separated by the flow of eluant, wherein a uniform starting band of mixture is formed upstream of the said spatially non-uniform field by energizing the ancillary electrode structure for a length of time with a voltage sufficiently high enough to collect particles in a starting band, and then reducing the voltage, thus causing or permitting the starting band to be washed along the chamber for separation. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
- a main electrode structure of at least two electrodes disposed within the chamber;
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10. A method for forming a uniform starting band in a process of separating a mixture of particles using an apparatus including a chamber;
- an electrode structure of at least two electrodes disposed within the chamber; and
means for applying an alternating voltage between the electrodes, the method including;forming the uniform starting band at the head of the electrode structure by passing a flow of particles in suspension through the electrode structure, energizing the electrode structure for a defined length of time with a voltage high enough to collect particles in an initial part of the electrode structure as a band and then reducing the voltage, causing or permitting the band of collected particles to be washed along the chamber for separation action. - View Dependent Claims (11)
- an electrode structure of at least two electrodes disposed within the chamber; and
Specification