Microfluidics is the study of fluids at volumes thousands of times smaller than a common droplet. It also concerns the design of systems in which such small volumes of fluids will be used.
Production of submicron and nanoparticles, necessary for an increasing number of chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, personal care, and food applications, requires easily reproducible processes that yield consistent and controllable product properties.
Designed to operate at up to 30,000 psi, the M-110EH-30 is the latest version of its laboratory model M-110EH Microfluidizer processor.
The M-110EH-30 is suitable for the production of nano-suspensions and nano emulsions as well as cell disruption with the least number of passes.
Utilising Microfluidics' fixed geometry interaction chamber technology, the M-110EH-30 is capable of generating shear rates within the product stream that are said to be an improvement on current fluid processing or mixing equipment on the market.
Shear rate, which is directly proportional to the process pressure setting, imparts the required energy directly to the product stream, safely disrupting bacteria cells and reducing particles and droplets to nanoparticles.
The M-110EH-30 is equipped with a single acting intensifier pump that amplifies the hydraulic pressure, allowing the product stream to be driven through the interaction chamber.
The machine provides an average flowrate (with water) of 320 ml/min and can handle batch sizes of up to several gallons.
Microfluidics said that all results from this product would be scaleable to Microfluidics M-700 and M-610 pilot and production machines.
The company also introduces its constant pressure option specifically designed for its M-700 series pilot/production systems, which aims to increase system productivity and reliability. This is achieved by operating at a constant process pressure to minimise stress to the machine components.
"We are approaching the ideal fluid processing conditions by achieving a nearly uniform pressure profile," said Chris Werner, vice president of engineering.
"Coupled with our proprietary fixed geometry interaction chambers, our constant pressure option ensures that the entire product is exposed to the same level of shear force. This option means that fewer passes will be required in production, which translates directly to cost savings for our customers."
Finally, Microfluidics showcases its laboratory fluid processor, the M-110-Y, a pneumatic bench top version that is designed for chemical formulation development and other fluid processing applications.
The M-110Y is a portable lab machine that claims to produce a higher shear rate than any available fluid processor on the market today. The processor maximises the energy-per-unit fluid volume, insuring the generation of uniform, submicron particle and droplet sizes.
The M-110Y utilises interaction chambers designed with fixed-geometry, wear-resistant micro channels that accelerate the product stream to high velocities.
This process creates controlled and reproducible shear and impact forces that bring about the desired results. Because the interaction chamber employs no moving parts, no disassembly is required for cleaning.
Additionally, the processor is easy to operate and designed for clean-in-place procedures. These features virtually eliminate sample cross-contamination.
Because each microfluidics unit is process repeatable and scaleup is guaranteed, customers can be confident that their laboratory scale development efforts will scale to pilot and production volumes.
Additional options available for the M-110Y include a NIST traceable pressure transducer and thermocouple and accessories allowing pressurised sample feed.
Additional information about these products can be found on >Microfluidics' website.