Apparatus and Method for Generating an Aerosol
AssigneeInhalation Sciences Sweden AB
InventorPer GERDE
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to improvements related to the generation of aerosols and outlines an apparatus and methods which supports deagglomeration and counteracts reagglomeration of aerosol particles. The apparatus is provided with an arrangement of inlet conduits for pressurized gas that promote transportation with a rotational flow towards an exit conduit. In order to further support production of high quality aerosols, the apparatus can be provided with an impactor aligned with the exit conduit with at least one impacting surface that minimizes formation of impact residues.
Claims20
An aerosol generating apparatus having a main axis of rotational symmetry and comprising:
- an at least partially spherical powder chamber for loading a powder therein and mixing the powder with pressurized gas, the powder chamber having one or several compartments;
- at least two inlet conduits connected to a pressure chamber and being operable to introduce the pressurized gas to the powder chamber by at least two inlet orifices of said at least two inlet conduits, respectively, and create a powder suspension in the pressurized gas in the powder chamber;
- and
- an ejection conduit, the ejection conduit having an inlet from the powder chamber and opening at an exit orifice to an ambient pressure, the ejection conduit opening at the exit orifice being operable to form an aerosol when the powder suspension in the pressurized gas is released from the exit orifice, wherein
- (i) each of the at least two inlet conduits has a symmetry axis extending into a respective projection line and the at least two inlet conduits are arranged to admit inlet flows in opposite directions;
- (ii) the inlet conduit projection lines are equidistant to an inlet conduit parallel plane which contains the apparatus main axis of rotational symmetry;
- (iii) the inlet conduit projection lines form acute angles with the apparatus main axis of rotational symmetry;
- and
- (iv) the at least two inlet conduits have inlet orifices located in a spherical part of the at least partially spherical part of the powder chamber and operable to form a rotating flow of the powder suspension in the pressurized gas.
A method of generating an aerosol comprising the steps of:
- a) loading an at least partially spherical powder chamber with an aerosolizable powder, the powder chamber having a main axis of rotational symmetry and one or several compartments;
- b) releasing a pressurized gas and introducing it into the powder chamber by at least two inlet conduits entering by at least two inlet orifices of said at least two inlet conduits, respectively, in a spherical part of the at least partially spherical powder chamber and providing a suspension of mixed gas and powder, wherein
- (i) each of the at least two inlet conduits has a symmetry axis extending into a respective projection line and the at least two inlet conduits are arranged to admit inlet flows in opposite directions;
- (ii) the inlet conduit projection lines are equidistant to an inlet conduit parallel plane which contains the powder chamber main axis of rotational symmetry;
- and
- (iii) the inlet conduit projection lines form acute angles with the powder chamber main axis of rotational symmetry;
- c) establishing a rotating flow of the suspension in at least one compartment of said powder chamber;
- d) admitting a flow of the suspension along the powder chamber inner walls to an ejection conduit of the powder chamber, the ejection conduit having an inlet from the powder chamber and opening at an exit orifice to an ambient pressure;
- e) releasing the suspension through the exit orifice to form an aerosol, subjecting the aerosol to at least one impacting surface, and transporting the aerosol through a substantially ring-shaped impactor channel;
- and
- f) optionally collecting the so formed aerosol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.