Electromagnetic assemblies for processing fluids

A fluid processing system, comprising:

• a sample tray comprising a plurality of fluidically-isolated fluid containers, each of the fluid containers for containing a fluid and a plurality of magnetic particles, each of the fluid containers extending from a lower, closed end to an upper, open end that is configured to be open to the atmosphere to receive a fluid to be processed therethrough;
• a plurality of magnetic structures, each fluid containers having a magnetic structure associated therewith, each magnetic structure comprising four electromagnets that are adjacent to, and surround, a periphery of a respective one of the fluid containers at a first vertical position, and wherein each of the four electromagnets of each magnetic structure are equidistant to the fluid container associated therewith, each of the four electromagnets from each of the magnetic structures being capable to generate a magnetic field within the associated fluid containers, and wherein at least one electromagnet of each magnetic structure is capable of simultaneously influencing the magnetic particles arranged within four adjacent fluid containers that are adjacent to and surround at least one electromagnet of each magnetic structure;
• and
• a control component coupled to the plurality of magnetic structures, the control component being capable to controlling the magnetic field generated by each of the four electromagnets for each magnetic structure that surrounds and is at the periphery of each fluid container to generate a magnetic field gradient within the each fluid container sufficient to magnetically influence the plurality of magnetic particles within the fluid in the each fluid container, and wherein at least a one of the four electromagnets from each magnetic structure is shared between four magnetic structures from the plurality of magnetic structures such that the one of the four electromagnets from each magnetic structure is capable of simultaneously generating magnetic field gradients within four adjacent fluid containers of the plurality of fluid containers;
• wherein the control component is capable of controlling the magnetic field generated by each of the four electromagnets from each of the plurality of magnetic structures via applying at least one electrical signal waveform to the each of the four of electromagnets from the each of the plurality of magnetic structures, with the electrical signal waveform including a radio frequency waveform or an AC current waveform, and wherein the at least one electrical signal waveform applied to the each of the four electromagnets has a phase delay relative to other electrical signal waveforms applied to other of the four electromagnets of a particular one of the plurality of magnetic structures, and relative to electrical signal waveforms applied to electromagnets of magnetic structures that are adjacent to the particular one of the plurality of magnetic structures.