Vortex-stabilized electrophoretic devices and methods

A vortex-stabilized electrophoretic processor comprising:

• an elongate annular processing chamber between concentric first and second processing chamber surfaces, at least one of the processing chamber surfaces being rotatable relative to the other processing chamber surface,
• an electrode array operative to be energized to establish a dynamic field gradient within the processing chamber;
• and
• at least one fluid port in fluid communication with the processing chamber;
• wherein at least one of the processing chamber surfaces has shaping comprising multiple spaced annular ridges extending toward the other of the processing chamber surfaces.

A vortex-stabilized electrophoretic processor comprising:

• an elongate annular processing chamber between the inside surface of an elongate cylindrical stator and the outside surface of an elongate cylindrical rotor positioned in the stator, the outside surface of the rotor being concentric with the inside surface of the stator, the rotor being rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the stator;
• an electrode array comprising a series of independently controllable electrodes spaced axially from one from another within the rotor and operative to be energized to establish a dynamic field gradient in the processing chamber;
• and
• first and second fluid ports axially spaced from each other along the processing chamber;
• wherein the inside surface of the stator has shaping comprising annular ridges extending toward the rotor and spaced axially a first distance from each other, and the outside surface of the rotor has shaping comprising annular ridges extending toward the stator and spaced axially a second distance from each other, the first distance being half the second distance.

A method of vortex-stabilized electrophoretic processing, comprising:

• introducing a fluid sample comprising an analyte into an annular processing chamber of an electrophoretic processor comprising
• concentric first and second processing chamber surfaces forming the processing chamber between them, at least one of the processing chamber surfaces being rotatable relative to the other processing chamber surface,
• an electric field generator operative to be energized to establish a dynamic field gradient within the processing chamber;
• and
• at least one fluid port in fluid communication with the processing chamber;
• wherein at least one of the processing chamber surfaces has shaping comprising multiple spaced annular ridges extending toward the other of the processing chamber surfaces;
• establishing vortex flow of the fluid sample in the processing chamber by rotation of the one processing chamber surface relative to the other processing chamber surface;
• and
• establishing a dynamic field gradient in the processing chamber by energizing the electric field generator.

A vortex-stabilized electrophoretic processor comprising:

• an elongate annular processing chamber between the inside surface of an elongate cylindrical stator and the outside surface of an elongate cylindrical rotor positioned in the stator, the outside surface of the rotor being concentric with the inside surface of the stator, the rotor being rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the stator;
• an electrode array positioned concentrically within the rotor, comprising a series of independently controllable electrodes spaced axially from one from another within the rotor and operative to be energized to establish a dynamic field gradient in the processing chamber;
• and
• first and second fluid ports axially spaced from each other along the processing chamber.