Particle handling method by acoustic radiation force and apparatus therefore

An apparatus for handling particles by an acoustic radiation force, comprising:

• a chamber for accommodating therein a fluid containing the particles to be concentrated, filtrated or arranged;
• an ultrasound source disposed so as to make direct or indirect contact with the fluid;
• and
• a control device for controlling said ultrasound source to generate an ultrasound beam by applying a plurality of superimposed alternating electric voltages having sinusoidal shapes differing from one another to said ultrasound source so that the generated ultrasound beam exerts a force forwarded in a predetermined direction or a force staying at a predetermined region on the particles within a sound field of the fluid.

An apparatus for handling particles by an acoustic radiation force, comprising:

• a chamber for accommodating therein a fluid containing the particles to be concentrated filtrated or arranged;
• a plurality of ultrasound sources each disposed so as to make direct or indirect contact with the fluid;
• and
• a control device for controlling said ultrasound sources independently of each other to generate respective ultrasound beams each having a specific frequency, a specific intensity and a specific phase difference;
• whereby the ultrasound beams from said ultrasound sources exert a force forwarded in a predetermined direction or a force staying at a predetermined region on the particles within a sound field of the fluid;
• wherein the ultrasound beams generated from said plurality of ultrasound sources produce a standing wave;
• and
• means for controlling the temperature of the fluid in the chamber for holding the fluid therein.

An apparatus for handling particles by an acoustic radiation force, comprising:

• a chamber for accommodating therein a fluid containing the particles to be concentrated, filtrated or arranged;
• an ultrasound source disposed so as to make direct or indirect contact with the fluid;
• a control device for controlling said ultrasound source to generate an ultrasound beam by applying a plurality of superimposed alternating electric voltage having sinusoidal shapes differing from one another to said ultrasound source;
• and
• means for exerting at least one of an electric field, a magnetic field and an other external force which is other than the acoustic radiation force on a sample in the apparatus;
• whereby the ultrasound beams from said ultrasound beam exerts a force forwarded in a predetermined direction or a force staying at a predetermined region on the particles within a sound field of the fluid.

An apparatus for handling particles by an acoustic radiation force, comprising:

• chamber for accommodating therein a fluid containing the particles to be concentrated filtrated or arranged;
• a plurality of ultrasound sources each disposed so as to make direct or indirect contact with the fluid;
• a control device for controlling said ultrasound sources to generate an ultrasound beam obtained by superimposing ultrasound beams each having a specific frequency, a specific intensity and a specific phase difference from said ultrasound sources on one another;
• and
• means for exerting at least one of an electric field, a magnetic field and an other external force which is other than the acoustic radiation force on a sample in the apparatus;
• whereby the ultrasound beams from said ultrasound sources exert a force forwarded in a predetermined direction or a force staying at a predetermined region on the particles within a sound field of the fluid;
• and
• wherein a tube is provided at a position for sucking concentrated particles in the fluid on a downstream side of said tube together with the fluid, or a tube is provided for sucking the fluid on a downstream side of said tube at a position other than a position where the particles have been concentrated.

A particle handling apparatus comprising:

• a channel for passing a solution containing solvent components and particle components therethrough;
• means for applying an ultrasound beam in a direction substantially orthogonal to a flow of the solution in the channel to thereby generate a node of acoustic pressure of a standing wave at a predetermined position in the channel;
• and
• a suction hole defined in a wall surface of said channel substantially orthogonal to the flow of the solution in the channel and having a diameter smaller than a wavelength of the ultrasound beam.

A particle handling apparatus comprising:

• a channel for passing a solution containing solvent components and particle components therethrough;
• means for applying an ultrasound beam in a direction substantially orthogonal to a flow of the solution in the channel to thereby generate a node of acoustic pressure of a standing wave at a predetermined position in the channel;
• and
• suction holes respectively defined in wall surfaces of said channel, substantially orthogonal to the flow of the solution in the channel and opposed to each other and having diameters smaller than wavelength of the ultrasound beam;
• said wall surfaces having said holes are conductive or are of a magnetic material and are capable of applying a force produced by an electric field or magnetic field other than a force produced by the ultrasound beam to said each particle.

A particle handling apparatus comprising:

• a channel for passing a solution containing solvent components and particle components therethrough;
• means for applying an ultrasound beam in a direction substantially orthogonal to a flow of the solution in the channel to thereby generate a node of acoustic pressure of a standing wave at a predetermined position in the channel;
• a first solution supply port defined in a wall surface of said channel, substantially orthogonal to the flow of the solution in the channel and having a diameter smaller than the wavelength of the ultrasound beam, said port being used to supply a reaction solution which acts on the particles;
• a second solution supply port defined in the wall surface of said channel and having a diameter smaller than the wavelength of the ultrasound beam, said port being used to supply a dilute solution for diluting a reaction solution to the side downstream from said first solution supply port;
• and
• a suction hole provided at a position opposed to said second solution supply port or defined in the wall surface of said channel on the side downstream from said second solution supply port, said suction hole having a diameter smaller than a wavelength of the ultrasound beam.

A particle handling apparatus comprising:

• a chamber for holding therein a sample solution containing dissolved gas components, solvent components and particle components;
• degassing means supplied with the sample solution, for removing dissolved gas components in the solution;
• a channel for passing the degassed sample solution therethrough;
• means for applying an ultrasound beam in a direction substantially orthogonal to a flow of the solution in the channel to thereby generate a node of acoustic pressure of a standing wave at a predetermined position in the channel;
• at least one suction hole defined in a channel wall surface substantially orthogonal to the flow of the solution in the channel and having a diameter smaller than a wavelength of the ultrasound beam;
• a changeover valve for changing the flow of the solvent components or the particle components sucked through said suction hole;
• a changeover valve for changing the flow of the solvent components or the particle components unsucked through said suction hole;
• pipes for discharging the solvent components or the particle components through said their corresponding valves;
• pipes for returning the solvent components or particle components to the tube through said their corresponding valves;
• and
• a control device for controlling said respective elements.

An apparatus for handling particles by an acoustic radiation force, comprising:

• a chamber for accommodating therein a fluid containing the particles to be separated;
• a plurality of ultrasound sources disposed so as to make direct or indirect contact with the fluid;
• a control device for controlling said ultrasound sources to generate an ultrasound beam;
• and
• means for exerting an electric field, the electric field being generated by electrode plates attached to faces of said ultrasound sources in said chamber;
• wherein an acoustic radiation force and an electrostatic force are both irradiated simultaneously from a same inner face of said chamber in a same direction and separate different kinds of particles in the fluid;
• and
• wherein a tube is provided at a position for sucking particles in the fluid on a downstream side of said tube together with the fluid, or a tube is provided for sucking the fluid on a downstream side of said tube at a position other than a position where the particles have been concentrated.