Devices for separation of particulates, associated methods and systems

Abstract

A device is configured for separation of particulates dispersed within a base fluid, wherein the particulates have a relative density difference compared to the base fluid. The device comprises a microchannel of length l and height h comprising an inlet and an outlet; a microporous surface on one or more walls of the microchannel; a collection chamber on an opposing side of the microporous surface; and an applied force field across the height h of the microchannel to sediment the particles through the microporous surface into the collection chamber. The microporous body operationally generates a fluid flow regime comprising a first fluid flow having a first flow rate through the microchannel and a second fluid flow having a second flow rate through the collection chamber and the second flow rate is a fraction of the first flow rate.

1 . A device for separating particulates dispersed within a base fluid and having a relative density difference compared to the base fluid, comprising:
 a microchannel of length l and height h disposed between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;   a microporous body defining at least a portion of the microchannel; and   a collection chamber on an opposing side of the microporous body;   wherein, the particulates and a portion of the base fluid traverse the microporous body under the influence of an external force field, and are entered and collected in the collection chamber; and   wherein the microporous body operationally generates a fluid flow regime comprising a first fluid flow having a first flow rate through the microchannel and a second fluid flow having a second flow rate through the collection chamber and the second flow rate is a fraction of the first flow rate.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the external force field is a gravitational field. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the external force field is an applied force field selected from among an applied magnetic field and an applied electric field. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the microchannel has a length l between about 10 millimeters and about 100 millimeters (mm) 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the microchannel has a height h between about 10 micron and about 1000 microns (μm). 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the particulates have an average largest dimension between about 1 micron and about 250 microns. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the microporous body comprises pores with an average diameter between about 10 microns and about 500 microns. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the microporous body has porosity between about 10 percent and about 75 percent. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more of a collection chamber fluid inlet and a collection chamber fluid outlet. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more controllers for controlling the applied external force field. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid driver to induce a flow of particulates dispersed within a base fluid through the microchannel and to drive out a processed fluid enriched in the base fluid and depleted in particulates. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid driver configured to facilitate recovery of particulates from the collection chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more controllers to control the first fluid flow. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is fully automated or partially automated. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the fluid inlet, the fluid outlet, the microchannel, the microporous body, and the collection chamber is configured to integrate with an analytical device. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1  is configured to separate particulates from one or more of whole blood, petroleum, water, a cell extract, or a tissue extract. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1  is configured to separate particulates from whole blood. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 1  is configured to separate red blood cells from whole blood. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the particulates comprise one or more of red blood cells, white blood cells, blood platelets, non-hematic biological cells, tissue fragments, metals, minerals, and non-cellular biological solids. 
     
     
         20 . A device for separating one or more cells dispersed within a base fluid and having a relative density difference compared to the base fluid, the device comprising:
 a microchannel of length l and height h disposed between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet;   a microporous body defining at least a portion of the microchannel; and   a collection chamber on an opposing side of the microporous body;   wherein the cells and a portion of the base fluid traverse the microporous body under the influence of an external force field, and are entered and collected in the collection chamber; and   wherein the microporous body operationally generates a fluid flow regime comprising a first fluid flow having a first flow rate through the microchannel and a second fluid flow having a second flow rate through the collection chamber and the second flow rate is a fraction of the first flow rate.   
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the cells have an average cell diameter (d) between about 1 micron and about 100 microns. 
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the microchannel has a height h between about 10 microns and about 1000 microns. 
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the microporous body has an average pore diameter (p) between about 10 microns and about 500 microns. 
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 20 , wherein the microporous body has an average porosity (q) between about 10 percent and about 75 percent. 
     
     
         25 . A method for separating particulates dispersed within a base fluid and having a relative density difference compared to the base fluid, comprising:
 providing a separation device comprising:
 a microchannel of length l and height h disposed between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a microporous body defining at least a portion of the microchannel; and a collection chamber on an opposing side of the microporous body; wherein the particulates and a portion of the base fluid traverse the microporous body under the influence of an external force field, and are entered and collected in the collection chamber; 
   introducing a sample of unprocessed fluid comprising particulates dispersed within a base fluid into the microchannel via the fluid inlet;   separating at least a portion of the particulates from the unprocessed fluid to provide a stream of processed fluid at the fluid outlet; and   recovering at least a portion of the particulates initially present in the unprocessed fluid in the collection chamber;   wherein the particulates and a portion of the base fluid traverse the microporous body under the influence of an external force field, and are entered and collected in the collection chamber; and   wherein the microporous body operationally generates a fluid flow regime comprising a first fluid flow having a first flow rate through the microchannel and a second fluid flow having a second flow rate through the collection chamber and the second flow rate is a fraction of the first flow rate.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising a step of priming the device prior to introducing the unprocessed fluid into the microchannel. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising re-traversing the fluid through the microporous body and re-entering the microchannel. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the unprocessed fluid is a biological sample. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the unprocessed fluid comprises one or more of whole blood, a cell extract, or a tissue extract. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the unprocessed fluid comprises whole blood. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the particulates are blood cells. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the processed fluid comprises blood plasma. 
     
     
         33 . A method for separating cells dispersed within a base fluid of whole blood sample, comprising:
 providing a separation device comprising:
 a microchannel of length l and height h disposed between a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; a microporous body defining at least a portion of the microchannel; and a collection chamber on an opposing side of the microporous body; wherein the particulates and a portion of the base fluid traverse the microporous body under the influence of an external force field, and are entered and collected in the collection chamber; 
   introducing the whole blood sample of unprocessed fluid comprising cells dispersed within a base fluid into the microchannel via the fluid inlet;   separating at least a portion of the cells from the unprocessed fluid to provide a stream of processed fluid at the fluid outlet; and   recovering at least a portion of the cells initially present in the unprocessed fluid in the collection chamber;   wherein the particulates and a portion of the base fluid traverse the microporous body under the influence of an external force field, and are entered and collected in the collection chamber; and wherein the microporous body operationally generates a fluid flow regime comprising a first fluid flow having a first flow rate through the microchannel and a second fluid flow having a second flow rate through the collection chamber and the second flow rate is a fraction of the first flow rate.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the processed fluid comprises blood plasma which is substantially free of blood cells. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the cells recovered in the collection chamber is substantially free of blood plasma.