Flodesign Sonics, Inc.

Dane Mealey

Bart Lipkens

Jason Barnes

Brian McCarthy

Walter M Presz, Jr

Kedar C Chitale

Thomas J Kennedy, Iii

Ben Ross-Johnsrud

Jeffrey King

Benjamin Ross-Johnsrud

Ali Shajii

Jason Dionne

Ronald Musiak

David Sokolowski

Brian Dutra

Thomas Joseph Kennedy

Eric Mitchell

Joey Carmichael

Brian Mccarthy

Walter M Presz

Louis Masi

Rudolf Gilmanshin

Stanley J Kowalski, Iii

Erik Miller

Jack Saloio

John Artis

John Rozembersky

Jeff King

Anthony B Masi

Brian T Kennedy

Thomas J Iii Kennedy

An acoustophoretic device is disclosed. The acoustophoretic device includes an acoustic chamber, an ultrasonic transducer, and a reflector. The ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric material driven by a voltage signal to create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber emanating from a non-planar face of the piezoelectric material. A method for separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid is also disclosed. The method includes flowing the mixture through an acoustophoretic device. A voltage signal is sent to drive the ultrasonic transducer to create the multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber such that the second fluid or particulate is continuously trapped in the standing wave, and then agglomerates, aggregates, clumps, or coalesces together, and subsequently rises or settles out of the host fluid due to buoyancy or gravity forces, and exits the acoustic chamber.

Non-planar and non-symmetrical piezoelectric crystals and reflectors

Systems and methods for increasing the accuracy of a turbidity sensor are disclosed. The systems include a turbidity sensor and a flow module with a specialized flow path, with the turbidity sensor engaging with the flow module such that a measurement zone of the turbidity sensor is disposed within a flow path of the flow module and a bypass path of the flow module does not pass through the measurement zone. The methods include flowing a fluid containing bubbles into a system that separates the fluid in the flow module into a first stream of fluid containing relatively more bubbles and a second stream of fluid containing relatively fewer bubbles, the first stream flowing through a bypass path that does not pass through the measurement zone, and the second stream flowing through the measurement zone of the turbidity sensor.

Turbidity sensor with improved flow path

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an apparatus for separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid. That apparatus comprises a flow chamber with at least one inlet and at least one outlet. A drive circuit configured to provide a drive signal to a filter circuit configured to receive the drive signal and provide a translated drive signal. An ultrasonic transducer is cooperatively arranged with the flow chamber, and transducer includes at least one piezoelectric element configured to be driven by the current drive signal to create an acoustic standing wave in the flow chamber. At least one reflector opposing the ultrasonic transducer to reflect acoustic energy.

Electronic configuration and control for acoustic standing wave generation

An acoustophoresis device includes an acoustic chamber with a piezoelectric element located within its volume. The piezoelectric element vibrates and generates acoustic standing waves from both sides, so that particles can be separated from fluid passing through the acoustic chamber. This permits the element to be cooled more efficiently, reducing transient heat loads in the fluid traveling through the device.

Acoustophoresis device with dual acoustophoretic chamber

An acoustic standing wave is utilized to separate components from a multi-component fluid, such as oil from an oil-water mixture, or cells entrained in a fluid, in a fluid flow scheme with an acoustophoresis device. For example, the flow scheme and device allows for trapping of the oil as the oil coalesces, agglomerates, and becomes more buoyant than the water. A driver and controller for the acoustophoretic device accommodate variable loading as the components are separated, thereby improving separation efficiency.

Driver and control for variable impedence load

Devices for separating a host fluid from a second fluid or particulate are disclosed. The devices include an acoustic chamber, a fluid outlet at a top end of the acoustic chamber, a concentrate outlet at a bottom end of the acoustic chamber, and an inlet on a first side end of the acoustic chamber. An ultrasonic transducer and reflector create a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave in the acoustic chamber that traps and separates particulates (e.g. cells) from a host fluid. The host fluid is collected via the fluid outlet, and the particulates are collected via the concentrate outlet. The device is a large-scale device that is able to process liters/hour, and has a large interior volume.

Large scale acoustic separation device

Separation of particles or droplets from a host fluid may be achieved using a transducer and/or reflector that is a thin, non-planar structure. The thin non-planar structure improves operation of an acoustic standing wave generated by an acoustic transducer. The structure may operate as a pressure release boundary and may be constructed as plastic film.

Transducer and reflector configurations for an acoustophoretic device

An acoustophoresis device which includes a substantially vertical flow path of the fluid mixture in order to improve separation of particles/secondary fluid from a primary fluid is disclosed. The vertical flow path reduces velocity non-uniformities in the acoustic chamber resulting from gravity forces. The device includes an acoustic chamber in which multidimensional acoustic standing waves are generated. The fluid can be introduced into the acoustic chamber using a dump diffuser in which a plurality of inlets enter near the bottom of the acoustic chamber such that flow symmetry reduces both, gravity driven flow non-uniformities, and any flow interference effects between inlet mixture flow into the acoustic chamber and the continuous gravity driven particle cluster drop out.

Acoustophoretic device with uniform fluid flow

An acoustophoresis device made up of modular components is disclosed. Several modules are disclosed herein, including ultrasonic transducer modules, input/output modules, collection well modules, and various connector modules. These permit different systems to be constructed that have appropriate fluid dynamics for separation of particles, such as biological cells, from a fluid.

Multi-stage acoustophoresis device

Acoustic separation device

Acoustophoretic devices for separating particles from a non-flowing host fluid are disclosed. The devices include a substantially acoustically transparent container and a separation unit, with the container being placed within the separation unit. An ultrasonic transducer in the separation unit creates a planar or multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave within the container, trapping particles disposed within the non-flowing fluid and causing them to coalesce or agglomerate, then separate due to buoyancy or gravity forces.

Acoustophoretic clarification of particle-laden non-flowing fluids

Growing community of inventors

Springfield, MA, United States of America

Dane Mealey