U.S. patent application number 09/853153 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-22 for stabilized capillary microjet and devices and methods for producing same.
Invention is credited to Ganan-Calvo, Alfonso.
Application Number | 20010042793 09/853153 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26155109 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010042793 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ganan-Calvo, Alfonso |
November 22, 2001 |
Stabilized capillary microjet and devices and methods for producing
same
Abstract
The invention is directed to a stable capillary microjet and a
monodisperse aerosol formed when the microjet dissociates. A
variety of devices and methods are disclosed which allow for the
formation of a stream of a first fluid (e.g. a liquid)
characterized by forming a stable capillary microjet over a portion
of the stream wherein the microjet portion of the stream is formed
by a second fluid (e.g. a gas). The second fluid is preferably in a
different state from the first fluid--liquid-gas or gas-liquid
combinations. However, the first and second fluids may be two
different fluids in miscible in each other. The stable capillary
microjet comprises a diameter d.sub.j at a given point A in the
stream characterized by the formula: 1 d j ( 8 1 .PI. 2 P g ) 1 4 Q
1 2 wherein d.sub.j is the diameter of the stable microjet,
.congruent. indicates approximately equally to where an acceptable
margin of error is .+-.10%, .rho..sub.1 is the density of the
liquid and .DELTA.P.sub.g is change in gas pressure of gas
surrounding the stream at the point A.
Inventors: |
Ganan-Calvo, Alfonso;
(Sevilla, ES) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BOZICEVIC, FIELD & FRANCIS LLP
200 MIDDLEFIELD RD
SUITE 200
MENLO PARK
CA
94025
US
|
Family ID: |
26155109 |
Appl. No.: |
09/853153 |
Filed: |
May 11, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
09853153 |
May 11, 2001 |
|
|
|
09605048 |
Jun 27, 2000 |
|
|
|
6234402 |
|
|
|
|
09605048 |
Jun 27, 2000 |
|
|
|
09192091 |
Nov 13, 1998 |
|
|
|
6116516 |
|
|
|
|
09192091 |
Nov 13, 1998 |
|
|
|
09171518 |
Oct 20, 1998 |
|
|
|
6119953 |
|
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
239/8 ; 239/371;
239/424; 261/78.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B01F 25/30 20220101;
Y10S 977/773 20130101; Y10S 977/89 20130101; A61M 15/0065 20130101;
B05B 7/061 20130101; B05B 7/0884 20130101; G01N 21/01 20130101;
A61M 2202/064 20130101; G01N 2015/1406 20130101; F02M 69/08
20130101; Y10S 977/896 20130101; B05B 7/065 20130101; A61M 11/002
20140204; C40B 60/14 20130101; A61M 15/025 20140204; B01J
2219/00378 20130101; B01F 23/232 20220101; B05B 7/0475 20130101;
B05B 1/02 20130101; B82Y 10/00 20130101; F02M 67/10 20130101; A61M
11/001 20140204; B01F 33/3011 20220101; B82Y 30/00 20130101; F23D
11/106 20130101; B05B 7/066 20130101; F02M 69/047 20130101; G01N
2015/1409 20130101; Y10S 977/888 20130101; F02M 43/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
239/8 ; 239/424;
239/371; 261/78.1 |
International
Class: |
A62C 005/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 18, 1997 |
US |
PCT/ES97/00034 |
May 13, 1996 |
ES |
P-9601101 |
Dec 17, 1997 |
ES |
P-9702654 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A stream of a first fluid characterized by forming a stable
capillary microjet over a portion of the stream wherein the stable
capillary microjet portion of the stream is formed by a second
fluid moving at a velocity greater than that of the first
fluid.
2. The stream of claim 1, wherein the first fluid is a liquid and
the second fluid is a gas.
3. The stream of claim 2, wherein stable capillary microjet
comprises a diameter d.sub.j at a given point A in the stream
characterized by the formula: 19 d j ( 8 1 .PI. 2 P g ) 1 4 Q g 1 2
wherein d.sub.j is the diameter of the stable microjet, .congruent.
indicates approximately equally to where an acceptable margin of
error is .+-.10%, .rho..sub.1 is the density of the liquid and
.DELTA.P.sub.g is change in gas pressure of gas surrounding the
stream at the point A.
4. The stream of claim 1, wherein d.sub.j is a diameter in a range
of about 1 micron to about 1 mm.
5. The stream of claim 1, wherein the stable capillary jet portion
has a length in a range of from about 1 micron to about 50 mm.
6. The stream of claim 2, wherein the stable capillary microjet is
maintained, at least in part, by tangential viscous stresses
exerted by the gas on a surface of the jet in an axial direction of
the jet.
7. The stream of claim 2, wherein the microjet is further
characterized by a slightly parabolic axial velocity profile.
8. A monodisperse aerosol of liquid particles in air, the particles
characterized by having the same diameter with a deviation in
diameter from one particle to another in a range of from about
.+-.3% to about .+-.30%.
9. The aerosol of claim 8, wherein the deviation in diameter from
one particle to another is in a range of from about .+-.3% to
.+-.10%.
10. The aerosol of claim 8, wherein a given particle in the aerosol
has a diameter in a range of about 0.1 micron to about 100 microns
and other particles in the aerosol have the same diameter as the
given particle with a deviation of about .+-.3% to about
.+-.30%.
11. A stream of a liquid characterized by forming a stable
capillary microjet over a portion of the stream wherein the stable
capillary microjet position of the stream is formed by a gas moving
in a direction substantially parallel to that of the stream of
liquid wherein the liquid stream and gas are moved by the
application of physical pressure.
12. The stream of claim 11, wherein the Weber number is in a range
of from about 1 to about 40 wherein the Weber number is defined by
the following equation: 20 We = g V g 2 d wherein .rho..sub.g is
the density of the gas, d is the diameter of the stable microjet,
.gamma. is the liquid-gas surface tension, and V.sub.g.sup.2 is the
velocity of the gas squared.
13. The stream of claim 12, wherein the Weber number is in a range
of from about 5 to about 25.
14. The stream of claim 11, wherein Ohnesorge number is less than
one, wherein the Ohnesorge number (Oh) is defined by 21 Oh = 1 ( 1
d ) 1 2 wherein .mu..sub.1 is the viscosity of liquid, .rho..sub.1
is the density of the liquid and d is the diameter of the stable
capillary microjet.
15. A method of analyzing a compound in a liquid, comprising the
steps of: applying physical pressure to force a first liquid
through a channel of a feeding source in a manner which causes the
first liquid to be expelled from an exit opening of the channel;
forcing a fluid selected from the group consisting of a gas and a
second liquid which is immiscible with the first liquid through a
pressure chamber in a manner which causes the fluid to exit the
pressure chamber from an exit orifice in front of a flow path of
the first liquid expelled from the exit opening of the channel,
wherein a stable first liquid-fluid interface is maintained and the
first liquid forms a stable capillary jet focused on the exit
orifice of the pressure chamber; emitting a plus of energy through
the stable capillary jet; receiving energy from the plus; analyzing
energy received to determine information regarding a compound in
the first liquid.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the energy is selected from the
group consisting of infrared, and ultra violet.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the fluid is a gas.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein stable capillary microjet
comprises a diameter d.sub.j at a given point A in the stream
characterized by the formula: 22 d j ( 8 1 .PI. 2 P g ) 1 4 Q 1 2
wherein d.sub.j is the diameter of the stable microjet, .congruent.
indicates approximately equally to where an acceptable margin of
error is .+-.10%, .rho..sub.1 is the density of the liquid and
.DELTA.P.sub.g is change in gas pressure of gas surrounding the
stream at the point A.
19. The stream of claim 18, wherein d.sub.j is a diameter in a
range of about 1 micron to about 1 mm.
20. The stream of claim 18, wherein the stable capillary jet
portion has a length in a range of from about 1 micron to about 50
mm and wherein the stable capillary microjet is maintained, at
least in part, by tangential viscous stresses exerted by the gas on
a surface of the jet in an axial direction of the jet.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
application Ser. No. 09/171,518 filed on Oct. 20, 1998 which
application is incorporated herein by reference and to which
application is claimed priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.120. Further,
this application incorporates by reference and claims priority to
PCT/ES97/00034 filed Feb. 18, 1997 and published as WO 97/43048
published Nov. 20, 1997 under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.365, said PCT
application being the international version of Spanish Application
No. P9601101, filed May 13, 1996 to which priority is claimed under
35 U.S.C. .sctn..sctn.119 and 365. Still further, this application
claims priority to Spanish Application No. P9702654 filed Dec. 17,
1997 under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This application generally relates to the field of finely
directed fluid flow and more particularly to the creation of a
stabilized capillary microjet which breaks up to form a
monodisperse aerosol.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Devices for creating finely directed streams of fluids
and/or creating aerosolized particles of a desired size are used in
a wide range of different applications. For example, finely
directed streams of ink for ink jet printers, or directed streams
of solutions containing biological molecules for the preparation of
microarrays. The production of monodisperse aerosols is also
important for (1) aerosolized delivery of drugs to obtain deep even
flow of the aerosolized particles into the lungs of patients; (2)
aerosolizing fuel for delivery in internal combustion engines to
obtain rapid, even dispersion of any type of fuel in the combustion
chamber; or (3) the formation of uniform sized particles which
themselves have a wide range of uses including (a) making
chocolate, which requires fine particles of a given size to obtain
the desired texture or "mouth feel" in the resulting product, (b)
making pharmaceutical products for timed release of drugs or to
mask flavors and (c) making small inert particles which are used as
standards in tests or as a substrate onto which compounds to be
tested, reacted or assayed are coated.
[0004] Although there is a need for creating finely directed
streams of fluids and for creating small spherical particles which
are substantially uniform in size current methods suffer from a
number of disadvantages. The invention described and disclosed
herein is based on new discoveries in the field of physics which
make it possible to overcome disadvantages of prior art devices and
methods in an energy efficient manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention is directed to a stable capillary microjet and
a monodisperse aerosol formed when the microjet dissociates. A
variety of devices and methods are disclosed which allow for the
formation of a stream of a first fluid (e.g. a liquid)
characterized by forming a stable capillary microjet over a portion
of the stream wherein the microjet portion of the stream is formed
by a second fluid (e.g. a gas). The second fluid is preferably in a
different state from the first fluid--liquid-gas or gas-liquid
combinations. However, the first and second fluids may be two
different fluids in miscible in each other. The stable capillary
microjet comprises a diameter d.sub.j at a given point A in the
stream characterized by the formula: 2 d j ( 8 1 .PI. 2 P g ) 1 4 Q
1 2
[0006] wherein d.sub.j is the diameter of the stable microjet,
.congruent. indicates approximately equally to where an acceptable
margin of error is .+-.10%, .rho..sub.1 is the density of the
liquid and .DELTA.P.sub.g is change in gas pressure of gas
surrounding the stream at the point A.
[0007] The microjet can have a diameter in the range of from about
1 micron to about 1 mm and a length in the range of from 1 micron
to 50 mm. The stable jet is maintained, at least in part, by
tangential viscous stresses exerted by the gas on the surface of
the jet in an axial direction of the jet. The jet is further
characterized by a slightly parabolic axial velocity profile and
still further characterized by a Weber number (We) which is greater
than 1 with the Weber number being defined by the formula: 3 We = g
V g 2 d
[0008] wherein the .rho..sub.g is the density of the gas, d is the
diameter of the stable microjet, .gamma. is the liquid-gas surface
tension, and V.sub.g.sup.2 is the velocity of the gas squared.
[0009] Although the Weber number is greater than 1 when a stable
microjet is obtained the Weber number should be less than 40 to
obtain a desired monodisperse aerosol. Thus, desired results are
obtained within the parameters of 1.ltoreq.We.ltoreq.40.
Monodisperse aerosols of the invention have a high degree of
uniformity in particle size. The particles are characterized by
having the same diameter with a deviation in diameter from one
particle to another in a range of about .+-.3% to about .+-.30%,
preferably about .+-.3% to about .+-.10% and most preferably .+-.3%
or less. The particles in an aerosol will have consistency in size
but may be produced to have a size in a range of about 0.1 micron
to about 100 microns.
[0010] An object of the invention is to provide a stream of a first
fluid (e.g. a liquid) which stream is characterized by forming a
stable capillary microjet over a portion of the stream wherein this
stable capillary microjet portion of the stream is formed by a
second fluid (e.g. a gas) moving at a velocity greater than that of
the first fluid.
[0011] Another object of the invention is to provide a monodisperse
aerosol of liquid particles in air wherein the particles are
characterized by having the same diameter with a deviation in
diameter from one particle to another in a range of from about
.+-.3% to about .+-.30% wherein the particles are produced as a
result of a break up of the stable capillary microjet.
[0012] An advantage of the invention is that the microjet of liquid
flows through an opening surrounded by a focusing funnel of gas so
that liquid does not touch the peripheral area of the opening and
therefor does not deposit on the opening and cause clogging.
[0013] Another advantage of the invention is that the particles
formed are highly uniform in size and are created with a relatively
small amount of energy.
[0014] A feature of the invention is that various parameters
including the viscosities and velocities of the fluids can be
chosen with consideration to other adjusted parameters to obtain a
supercritical flow of liquid which results in the formation of the
stable capillary microjet.
[0015] Another advantage of the invention is that the positions of
the liquid and gas within the various embodiments of the invention
can be changed in order to obtain a variety of different effects.
For example, when aqueous liquid forms a stable capillary microjet
surrounded by a focusing funnel of gas which escapes into a
surrounding gas at lower pressure, aerosolized particles are
formed. In another example a flow stream of gas focused by a
surrounding focusing funnel of liquid which flows outward into a
liquid forms gas bubbles which are highly uniform and extremely
small in size.
[0016] An advantage of the invention is that the embodiments can be
used to form small gas bubbles which are uniform in size and
sufficiently small to provide for a high degree of diffusion of the
gas present in the bubble into the surrounding liquid, thereby
providing advantages such as oxygenating water or decontaminating
gas.
[0017] These and other aspects, objects, features and advantages
will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this
disclosure in combination with the figures provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the basic components of
one embodiment of the invention with a cylindrical feeding needle
as a source of formulation.
[0019] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the
invention with two concentric tubes as a source of formulation.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of yet another embodiment showing
a wedge-shaped planar source of formulation.
[0021] FIG. 3a illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the
planar feeding source and the interaction of the fluids.
[0022] FIG. 3b show a frontal view of the openings in the pressure
chamber, with the multiple openings through which the atomizate
exits the device.
[0023] FIG. 3c illustrates the channels that are optionally formed
within the planar feeding member. The channels are aligned with the
openings in the pressure chamber.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a stable capillary microjet
being formed and flowing through an exit opening to thereafter form
a monodisperse aerosol.
[0025] FIG. 5 is a graph of data where 350 measured values of
d.sub.j/d.sub.o versus Q/Q.sub.o are plotted.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] Before the present aerosol device and method are described,
it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the
particular components and steps described, as such may, of course,
vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein
is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and
is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present
invention will be limited only by the appended claims.
[0027] It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended
claims, the singular forms "a", "and," and "the" include plural
referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for
example, reference to "a particle" includes a plurality of
particles and reference to "a fluid" includes reference to a
mixture of fluids, and equivalents thereof known to those skilled
in the art, and so forth.
[0028] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms
used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although
any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described
herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present
invention, the preferred methods and materials are now described.
All publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by
reference to disclose and describe the methods and/or materials in
connection with which the publications are cited.
[0029] The publications discussed herein are provided solely for
their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present
application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that
the present invention is not entitled to antedate such publication
by virtue of prior invention. Further, the dates of publication
provided may be different from the actual publication dates which
may need to be independently confirmed.
Device in General
[0030] Different embodiments are shown and described herein (see
FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) which could be used in producing the stable
capillary microjet and/or a dispersion of particles which are
substantially uniform in size. Although various embodiments are
part of the invention, they are merely provided as exemplary
devices which can be used to convey the essence of the invention,
which is the formation of a stable capillary microjet and/or
uniform dispersion of particles.
[0031] A basic device comprises (1) a means for supplying a first
fluid and (2) a pressure chamber supplied with a second fluid which
flows out of an exit opening in the pressure chamber. The exit
opening of the pressure chamber is aligned with the flow path of
the means for supplying the first fluid. The embodiments of FIGS.
1, 2 and 3 clearly show that there can be a variety of different
means for supplying the first fluid. Other means for supplying a
first fluid flow stream will occur to those skilled in the art upon
reading this disclosure.
[0032] Further, other configurations for forming the pressure
chamber around the means for supplying the first fluid will occur
to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure. Such
other embodiments are intended to be encompassed by the present
invention provided the basic conceptual results disclosed here are
obtained, i.e. a stable capillary microjet is formed and/or a
dispersion of particle highly uniform in size is formed. To
simplify the description of the invention, the means for supplying
a first fluid is often referred to as a cylindrical tube (see FIG.
1) and the first fluid is generally referred to as a liquid. The
liquid can be any liquid depending on the overall device which the
invention is used within. For example, the liquid could be a liquid
formulation of a pharmaceutically active drug used to create an
aerosol for inhalation or, alternatively, it could be a hydrocarbon
fuel used in connection with a fuel injector for use on an internal
combustion engine or heater or other device which burns hydrocarbon
fuel. Further, for purposes of simplicity, the second fluid is
generally described herein as being a gas and that gas is often
preferably air. However, the first fluid may be a gas and second
fluid a liquid or both fluids may be liquid provided the first and
second fluid are sufficiently different from each other
(immiscible) so as to allow for the formation of a stable microjet
of the first fluid moving from the supply means to an exit port of
the pressure chamber. Notwithstanding these different combinations
of gas-liquid, liquid-gas, and liquid-liquid, the invention is
generally described with a liquid formulation being expelled from
the supply means and forming a stable microjet due to interaction
with surrounding air flow focusing the microjet to flow out of an
exit of the pressure chamber.
[0033] Formation of the microjet and its acceleration and ultimate
particle formation are based on the abrupt pressure drop associated
with the steep acceleration experienced by the liquid on passing
through an exit orifice of the pressure chamber which holds the
second fluid (i.e. the gas). On leaving the chamber the flow
undergoes a large pressure difference between the liquid and the
gas, which in turn produces a highly curved zone on the liquid
surface near the exit port of the pressure chamber and in the
formation of a cuspidal point from which a steady microjet flows,
provided the amount of the liquid withdrawn through the exit port
of the pressure chamber is replenished. Thus, in the same way that
a glass lens or a lens of the eye focuses light to a given point,
the flow of the gas surrounds and focuses the liquid into a stable
microjet. The focusing effect of the surrounding flow of gas
creates a stream of liquid which is substantially smaller in
diameter than the diameter of the exit orifice of the pressure
chamber. This allows liquid to flow out of the pressure chamber
orifice without touching the orifice, providing advantages
including (1) clogging of the exit orifice is virtually eliminated,
(2) contamination of flow due to contact with substances (e.g.
bacteria or particulate residue) on the orifice opening is
virtually eliminated, and (3) the diameter of the stream and the
resulting particles are smaller than the diameter of the exit
orifice of the chamber. This is particularly desirable because it
is difficult to precisely engineer holes which are very small in
diameter. Further, in the absence of the focusing effect (and
formation a stable microjet) flow of liquid out of an opening will
result in particles which have about twice the diameter of the exit
opening. An additional advantage is that the particles are not
prone to agglomeration following exit from the chamber.
[0034] The description provided here generally indicates that the
fluid leaves the pressure chamber through an exit orifice
surrounded by the gas and thereafter enters into a gaseous
surrounding environment which may be air held at normal atmospheric
pressure, or, alternatively, the gas (heated pressurized air)
inside an internal combustion engine. However, when the first fluid
is a gas and the second fluid is a liquid the fluid present outside
of the chamber may also be a liquid. This configuration is
particularly useful when it is necessary to create very small
highly uniform bubbles which are moved into a liquid surrounding
exit opening of the pressure chamber. The need for the formation of
very small highly uniform bubbles into a gas occurs in a variety of
different industrial applications. For example, water needs to be
oxygenated in a variety of situations including small at home fish
tanks and large volume fisheries. The additional oxygen can aid the
rate of growth of the fish and thereby improve production for the
fishery. In another embodiment, oxygen or air bubbles can be forced
into liquid sewage in order to aid in treatment. In yet another
application of the invention, contaminated gases such as a gas
contaminated with a radioactive material can be formed into small
uniformed bubbles and blown into a liquid where the contamination
in the gas will diffuse into the liquid, thereby cleaning the gas.
The liquid will, of course, occupy substantially less volume and
therefore be substantially easier to dispose of than contaminated
toxic gas.
[0035] Those skilled in the art will recognize that variations on
the different embodiments disclosed below will be useful in
obtaining particularly preferred results. Specific embodiments of
devices are now described.
Embodiment of FIG. 1
[0036] A first embodiment of the invention where the supply means
is a cylindrical feeding needle supplying liquid into a pressurized
chamber of gas is described below with reference to FIG. 1.
[0037] The components of the embodiment of FIG. 1 are as
follows:
[0038] 1. Feeding needle--also referred to generally as a fluid
source and a tube.
[0039] 2. End of the feeding needle used to insert the liquid to be
atomized.
[0040] 3. Pressure chamber.
[0041] 4. Orifice used as gas inlet.
[0042] 5. End of the feeding needle used to evacuate the liquid to
be atomized.
[0043] 6. Orifice through which withdrawal takes place.
[0044] 7. Atomizate (spray)--also referred to as aerosol.
[0045] D.sub.0=diameter of the feeding needle; d.sub.0=diameter of
the orifice through which the microjet is passed; e=axial length of
the orifice through which withdrawal takes place; H=distance from
the feeding needle to the microjet outlet; P.sub.0=pressure inside
the chamber; P.sub..alpha.=atmospheric pressure.
[0046] Although the device can be configured in a variety of
designs, the different designs will all include the essential
components shown in FIG. 1 or components which perform an
equivalent function and obtain the desired results. Specifically, a
device of the invention will be comprised of at least one source of
a first fluid (e.g., a feeding needle with an opening 2) into which
a first fluid such as liquid flowable formulation can be fed and an
exit opening 5 from which the formulation can be expelled. The
feeding needle 1, or at least its exit opening 5, is encompassed by
a pressure chamber 3. The chamber 3 has inlet opening 4 which is
used to feed a second fluid (e.g. a gas) into the chamber 3 and an
exit opening 6 through which gas from the pressure chamber and
liquid formulation from the feeding needle 3 are expelled. When the
first fluid is a liquid it is expelled into gas to create an
aerosol. When the first fluid is a gas it is expelled into a liquid
to create bubbles.
[0047] In FIG. 1, the feeding needle and pressure chamber are
configured to obtain a desired result of producing an aerosol
wherein the particles are small and uniform in size or bubbles
which are small and uniform in size. The particles or bubbles have
a size which is in a range of 0.1 to 100 microns. The particles of
any given aerosol or bubbles will all have about the same diameter
with a relative standard deviation of .+-.10% to .+-.30% or more
preferably .+-.3% to .+-.10%. Stating that particles of the aerosol
have a particle diameter in a range of 1 to 5 microns does not mean
that different particles will have different diameters and that
some will have a diameter of 1 micron while others of 5 microns.
The particles in a given aerosol will all (preferably about 90% or
more) have the same diameter .+-.3% to .+-.30%. For example, the
particles of a given aerosol will have a diameter of 2 microns
.+-.3% to .+-.10%. The same deviations are also correct for the
formation of bubbles.
[0048] Such a monodisperse aerosol is created using the components
and configuration as described above. However, other components and
configurations will occur to those skilled in the art. The object
of each design will be to supply fluid so that it creates a stable
capillary microjet which is accelerated and stabilized by
tangential viscous stress exerted by the second fluid on the first
fluid surface. The stable microjet created by the second fluid
leaves the pressurized area (e.g., leaves the pressure chamber and
exits the pressure chamber orifice) and splits into particles or
bubbles which have the desired size and uniformity.
[0049] The parameter window used (i.e. the set of special values
for the liquid properties, flow-rate used, feeding needle diameter,
orifice diameter, pressure ratio, etc.) should be large enough to
be compatible with virtually any liquid (dynamic viscosities in the
range from 10.sup.-4 to 1 kg m.sup.-1s.sup.-1); in this way, the
capillary microjet that emerges from the end of the feeding needle
is absolutely stable and perturbations produced by breakage of the
jet cannot travel upstream. Downstream, the microjet splits into
evenly shaped drops simply by effect of capillary instability (see,
for example, Rayleigh, "On the instability of jets", Proc. London
Math. Soc., 4-13, 1878), similar in a manner to a laminar capillary
jet falling from a half-open tap.
[0050] When the stationary, steady interface is created, the
capillary jet that emerges from the end of the drop at the outlet
of the feeding point is concentrically withdrawn into the nozzle.
After the jet emerges from the drop, the liquid is accelerated by
tangential sweeping forces exerted by the gas stream flowing on its
surface, which gradually decreases the jet cross-section. Stated
differently the gas flow acts as a lens and focuses and stabilizes
the microjet as it moves toward and into the exit orifice of the
pressure chamber.
[0051] The forces exerted by the second fluid flow on the first
fluid surface should be steady enough to prevent irregular surface
oscillations. Therefore, any turbulence in the gas motion should be
avoided; even if the gas velocity is high, the characteristic size
of the orifice should ensure that the gas motion is laminar
(similar to the boundary layers formed on the jet and on the inner
surface of the nozzle or hole).
Stable Capillary Microjet
[0052] FIG. 4 illustrates the interaction of a liquid and a gas to
form atomizate using the method of the invention. The feeding
needle 60 has a circular exit opening 61 with an internal radius
R.sub.0 which feeds a liquid 62 out of the end, forming a drop with
a radius in the range of R.sub.0 to R.sub.0 plus the thickness of
the wall of the needle. The exiting liquid forms an infinite amount
of liquid streamlines 63 that interact with the surrounding gas to
form a stable cusp at the interface 64 of the two fluids. The
surrounding gas also forms an infinite number of gas streamlines
65, which interact with the exiting liquid to create a virtual
focusing funnel 66. The exiting liquid is focused by the focusing
funnel 66 resulting in a stable capillary microjet 67, which
remains stable until it exits the opening 68 of the pressure
chamber 69. After exiting the pressure chamber, the microjet begins
to break-up, forming monodispersed particles 70.
[0053] The gas flow, which affects the liquid withdrawal and its
subsequent acceleration after the jet is formed, should be very
rapid but also uniform in order to avoid perturbing the fragile
capillary interface (the surface of the drop that emerges from the
jet).
[0054] Liquid flows out of the end of a capillary tube and forms a
small liquid drop at the end. The tube has an internal radius
R.sub.o. The drop has a radius in a range of from R.sub.o to
R.sub.o plus the structural thickness of the tube as the drop exits
the tube, and thereafter the drop narrows in circumference to a
much smaller circumference as is shown in the expanded view of the
tube (i.e. feeding needle) 5 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.
[0055] As illustrated in FIG. 4, the exit opening 61 of the
capillary tube 60 is positioned close to an exit opening 68 in a
planar surface of a pressure chamber 69. The exit opening 68 has a
minimum diameter D and is in a planar member with a thickness L.
The diameter D is referred to as a minimum diameter because the
opening may have a conical configuration with the narrower end of
the cone positioned closer to the source of liquid flow. Thus, the
exit opening may be a funnel-shaped nozzle although other opening
configurations are also possible, e.g. an hour glass configuration.
Gas in the pressure chamber continuously flows out of the exit
opening. The flow of the gas causes the liquid drop expelled from
the tube to decrease in circumference as the liquid moves away from
the end of the tube in a direction toward the exit opening of the
pressure chamber.
[0056] In actual use, it can be understood that the opening shape
which provokes maximum gas acceleration (and consequently the most
stable cusp and microjet with a given set of parameters) is a
conically shaped opening in the pressure chamber. The conical
opening is positioned with its narrower end toward the source of
liquid flow.
[0057] The distance between the end 61 of the tube 60 and the
beginning of the exit opening 68 is H. At this point it is noted
that R.sub.o, D, H and L are all preferably on the order of
hundreds of microns. For example, R.sub.o=400 .mu.m, D=150 .mu.m,
H=1 mm, L=300 .mu.m. However, each could be {fraction (1/100)} to
100.times. these sizes.
[0058] The end of the liquid stream develops a cusp-like shape at a
critical distance from the exit opening 68 in the pressure chamber
69 when the applied pressure drop .DELTA.P.sub.g across the exit
opening 68 overcomes the liquid-gas surface tension stresses
.gamma./R* appearing at the point of maximum curvature--e.g. I/R*
from the exit opening.
[0059] A steady state is then established if the liquid flow rate Q
ejected from the drop cusp is steadily supplied from the capillary
tube. This is the stable capillary cusp which is an essential
characteristic of the invention needed to form the stable microjet.
More particularly, a steady, thin liquid jet with a typical
diameter d.sub.j is smoothly emitted from the stable cusp-like drop
shape and this thin liquid jet extends over a distance in the range
of microns to millimeters. The length of the stable microjet will
vary from very short (e.g. 1 micron) to very long (e.g. 50 mm) with
the length depending on the (1) flow-rate of the liquid and (2) the
Reynolds number of the gas stream flowing out of the exit opening
of the pressure chamber. The liquid jet is the stable capillary
microjet obtained when supercritical flow is reached. This jet
demonstrates a robust behavior provided that the pressure drop
.DELTA.P.sub.g applied to the gas is sufficiently large compared to
the maximum surface tension stress (on the order of
.gamma./d.sub.j) that act at the liquid-gas interface. The jet has
a slightly parabolic axial velocity profile which is, in large
part, responsible for the stability of the microjet. The stable
microjet is formed without the need for other forces, i.e. without
adding force such as electrical forces on a charged fluid. However,
for some applications it is preferable to add charge to particles,
e.g. to cause the particles to adhere to a given surface. The
shaping of liquid exiting the capillary tube by the gas flow
forming a focusing funnel creates a cusp-like meniscus resulting in
the stable microjet. This is a fundamental characteristic of the
invention.
[0060] The fluid stream flowing from the tube has substantially
more density and develops substantially more inertia as compared to
the gas, which has lower viscosity than the liquid. These
characteristics contribute to the formation of the stable capillary
jet. The stable capillary microjet is maintained stably for a
significant distance in the direction of flow away from the exit
from the tube. The liquid is, at this point, undergoing
"supercritical flow." The microjet eventually destabilizes due to
the effect of surface tension forces. Destabilization results from
small natural perturbations moving downstream, with the fastest
growing perturbations being those which govern the break up of the
microjet, eventually creating a monodisperse (a uniform sized)
aerosol 70 as shown in FIG. 4.
[0061] The microjet, even as it initially destabilizes, passes out
of the exit orifice of the pressure chamber without touching the
peripheral surface of the exit opening. This provides an important
advantage of the invention which is that the exit opening 68 (which
could be referred to as a nozzle) will not clog from residue and/or
deposits of the liquid. Clogging is a major problem with very small
nozzles and is generally dealt with by cleaning or replacing the
nozzle. When fluid contacts the surfaces of a nozzle opening some
fluid will remain in contact with the nozzle when the flow of fluid
is shut off. The liquid remaining on the nozzle surface evaporates
leaving a residue. After many uses over time the residue builds up
and clogging takes place. The present invention substantially
reduces or eliminates this clogging problem.
Mathematics of a Stable Microjet
[0062] Cylindrical coordinates (r,z) are chosen for making a
mathematical analysis of a stable microjet, i.e. liquid undergoing
"supercritical flow." The cusp-like meniscus formed by the liquid
coming out of the tube is pulled toward the exit of the pressure
chamber by a pressure gradient created by the flow of gas.
[0063] The cusp-like meniscus formed at the tube's mouth is pulled
towards the hole by the pressure gradient created by the gas
stream. From the cusp of this meniscus, a steady liquid thread with
the shape of radius r=.xi. is withdrawn through the hole by the
action of both the suction effect due to .DELTA.P.sub.g, and the
tangential viscous stresses .tau..sub.s exerted by the gas on the
jet's surface in the axial direction. The averaged momentum
equation for this configuration may be written 4 d d z [ 1 + 1 Q 2
2 .PI. 2 4 ] = 2 s , ( 1 )
[0064] where Q is the liquid flow rate upon exiting the feeding
tube, P.sub.1 is the liquid pressure, and .rho..sub.1 is the liquid
density, assuming that the viscous extensional term is negligible
compared to the kinetic energy term, as will be subsequently
justified. In addition, liquid evaporation effects are neglected.
The liquid pressure P.sub.1 is given by the capillary equation.
P.sub.1=P.sub.g+.gamma./.xi.. (2)
[0065] where .gamma. is the liquid-gas surface tension. As shown in
the Examples, the pressure drop .DELTA.P.sub.g is sufficiently
large as compared to the surface tension stress .gamma./.xi. to
justify neglecting the latter in the analysis. This scenario holds
for the whole range of flow rates in which the microjet is
absolutely stable. In fact, it will be shown that, for a given
pressure drop .DELTA.P.sub.g, the minimum liquid flow rate that can
be sprayed in steady jet conditions is achieved when the surface
tension stress .gamma./.xi. is of the order of the kinetic energy
of the liquid .rho..sub.1Q.sup.2/(2.pi..sup.2.xi..sup.4), since the
surface tension acts like a "resistance" to the motion (it appears
as a negative term in the right-hand side term of Eq. (1)). Thus, 5
Q min ~ ( d j 3 1 ) 1 2 ( 3 )
[0066] For sufficiently large flow rates Q compared to Q.sub.min,
the simplified averaged momentum equation in the axial direction
can be expressed as 6 d d z [ 1 Q 2 2 .PI. 2 4 ] = dP g d z + 2 s ,
( 4 )
[0067] where one can identify the two driving forces for the liquid
flow on the right-hand side. This equation can be integrated
provided the following simplification is made: if one uses a thin
plate with thickness L of the order or smaller than the hole's
diameter D (which minimizes downstream perturbations in the gas
flow), the pressure gradient up to the hole exit is on the average
much larger than the viscous shear term 2.tau..sub.s/.xi. owning to
the surface stress. On the other hand, the axial viscous term is of
the order O[.mu..sup.2Q/D.sup.2d.sub.j.sup.2], since the hole
diameter D is actually the characteristic distance associated with
the gas flow at the hole's entrance in both the radial and axial
directions. This term is very small compared to the pressure
gradient in real situations, provided that
.DELTA.P.sub.g>>.mu..sup- .2/D.sup.2.rho..sub.1 (which holds,
e.g., for liquids with viscosities as large as 100 cpoises, using
hole diameters and pressure drops as small as D.about.10 .mu.m and
.DELTA.P.sub.g.gtoreq.100 mbar). The neglect of all viscous terms
in Eq. (4) is then justified. Notice that in this limit on the
liquid flow is quasi-isentropic in the average (the liquid almost
follows Bernoulli equation) as opposed to most micrometric
extensional flows. Thus, integrating (4) from the stagnation
regions of both fluids up to the exit, one obtains a simple and
universal expression for the jet diameter at the hole exit: 7 d j (
8 1 .PI. 2 P g ) 1 4 Q 1 2 , ( 5 )
[0068] which for a given pressure drop .DELTA.P.sub.g is
independent of geometrical parameters (hole and tube diameters,
tube-hole distance, etc.), liquid and gas viscosities, and
liquid-gas surface tension. This diameter remains almost constant
up to the breakup point since the gas pressure after the exit
remains constant.
Monodisperse Particles
[0069] Above the stable microjet undergoing "supercritical flow" is
described and it can be seen how this aspect of the invention can
be made use of in a variety of industrial
applications--particularly where the flow of liquid through small
holes creates a clogging problem. An equally important aspect of
the invention is obtained after the microjet leaves the pressure
chamber.
[0070] When the microjet exits the pressure chamber the liquid
pressure P.sub.1 becomes (like the gas pressure P.sub.g) almost
constant in the axial direction, and the jet diameter remains
almost constant up to the point where it breaks up by capillary
instability. Defining a Weber number
We=(.rho..sub.gv.sub.g.sup.2d.sub.j)/.gamma..congruent.2.DELTA.P.s-
ub.gd.sub.j/.gamma. (where v.sub.g is the gas velocity measured at
the orifice), below a certain experimental value We.sub.c.about.40
the breakup mode is axisymmetric and the resulting droplet stream
is characterized by its monodispersity provided that the
fluctuations of the gas flow do not contribute to droplet
coalescence (these fluctuations occur when the gas stream reaches a
fully developed turbulent profile around the liquid jet breakup
region). Above this We.sub.c value, sinuous nonaxisymmetric
disturbances, coupled to the axisymmetric ones, become apparent.
For larger We numbers, the nonlinear growth rate of the sinuous
disturbances seems to overcome that of the axisymmetric
disturbances. The resulting spray shows significant polydispersity
in this case. Thus, it can be seen that by controlling parameters
to keep the resulting Weber number to 40 or less, allows the
particles formed to be all substantially the same size. The size
variation is about .+-.3% to .+-.30% and move preferably .+-.3% to
.+-.10%. These particles can have a desired size e.g. 0.1 microns
to 50 microns.
[0071] The shed vorticity influences the breakup of the jet and
thus the formation of the particles. Upstream from the hole exit,
in the accelerating region, the gas stream is laminar. Typical
values of the Reynolds number range from 500 to 6000 if a velocity
of the order of the speed of sound is taken as characteristic of
the velocity of the gas. Downstream from the hole exit, the
cylindrical mixing layer between the gas stream and the stagnant
gas becomes unstable by the classical Kelvin-Helmholtz instability.
The growth rate of the thickness of this layer depends on the
Reynolds number of the flow and ring vortices are formed at a
frequency of the order of v.sub.g/D, where D is the hole diameter.
Typical values of v.sub.g and D as those found in our experimental
technique lead to frequencies or the order of MHZ which are
comparable to the frequency of drop production (of order of
t.sub.b.sup.-1).
[0072] Given the liquid flow rate and the hole diameter, a
resonance frequency which depends on the gas velocity (or pressure
difference driving the gas stream) can be adjusted (time) in such a
way that vortices act as a forcing system to excite perturbations
of a determined wavelength on the jet surface. Experimental results
obtained clearly illustrates the different degree of coupling
between the two gas-liquid coaxial jets. In one set of experimental
results the particle sizes are shown to have a particle size of
about 5.7 microns with a standard deviation of 12%. This results
when the velocity of the gas has been properly tuned to minimize
the dispersion in the size of droplets resulting from the jet
breakup. In this case, the flow rate of the liquid jet and its
diameter are 0.08 .mu.l s.sup.-1 and 3 .mu.m, respectively. Data
have been collected using a MASTERSIZER from MALVERN Instruments.
As the degree of coupling decreases, perturbations at the jet
surface of different wavelengths become excited and, as it can be
observed from the size distributions, the dispersion of the spray
increases.
[0073] It is highly desirable in a number of different industrial
applications to have particles which are uniform in size or to
create aerosols of liquid particles which are uniform in size. For
example, particles of a liquid formation containing a
pharmaceutically active drug could be created and designed to have
a diameter of about 2 microns .+-.3%. These particles could be
inhaled into the lungs of a patient for intrapulmonary drug
delivery. Moreover, particle size can be adjusted to target a
particular area of the respiratory tract.
[0074] The gas flow should be laminar in order to avoid a turbulent
regime--turbulent fluctuations in the gas flow which have a high
frequency and would perturb the liquid-gas interface. The Reynolds
numbers reached at the orifice are 8 Re = v g d 0 v g ~ 4000
[0075] where v.sub.g is the kinematic viscosity of the gas. Even
though this number is quite high, there are large pressure
gradients downstream (a highly convergent geometry), so that a
turbulent regime is very unlikely to develop.
[0076] The essential difference from existing pneumatic atomizers
(which possess large Weber numbers) and the present invention is
that the aim of the present invention is not to rupture the
liquid-gas interface but the opposite, i.e. to increase the
stability of the interface until a capillary jet is obtained. The
jet, which will be very thin provided the pressure drop resulting
from withdrawal is high enough, splits into drops the sizes of
which are much more uniform than those resulting from disorderly
breakage of the liquid-gas interface in existing pneumatic
atomizers.
[0077] The proposed atomization system obviously requires delivery
of the liquid to be atomized and the gas to be used in the
resulting spray. Both should be fed at a rate ensuring that the
system lies within the stable parameter window. Multiplexing is
effective when the flow-rates needed exceed those on an individual
cell. More specifically, a plurality of feeding sources or feeding
needles may be used to increase the rate at which aerosols are
created, The flow-rates used should also ensure the mass ratio
between the flows is compatible with the specifications of each
application.
[0078] The gas and liquid can be dispensed by any type of
continuous delivery system (e.g. a compressor or a pressurized tank
the former and a volumetric pump or a pressurized bottle the
latter). If multiplexing is needed, the liquid flow-rate should be
as uniform as possible among cells; this may entail propulsion
through several capillary needles, porous media or any other medium
capable of distributing a uniform flow among different feeding
points.
[0079] Each individual atomization device should consist of a
feeding point (a capillary needle, a point with an open
microchannel, a microprotuberance on a continuous edge, etc.)
0.002-2 mm (but, preferentially 0.01-0.4 mm) in diameter, where the
drop emerging from the microjet can be anchored, and a small
orifice 0.002-2 mm (preferentially 0.01-0.25 mm) in diameter facing
the drop and separated 0.01-2 mm (preferentially 0.2-0.5 mm) from
the feeding point. The orifice communicates the withdrawal gas
around the drop, at an increased pressure, with the zone where the
atomizate is produced, at a decreased pressure. The atomizer can be
made from a variety of materials (metal, polymers, ceramics,
glass).
[0080] FIG. 1 depicts a tested prototype where the liquid to be
atomized is inserted through one end of the system 2 and the
propelling gas in introduced via the special inlet 4 in the
pressure chamber 3. The prototype was tested at gas feeding rates
from 100 to 2000 mBar above the atmospheric pressure P.sub.a at
which the atomized liquid was discharged. The whole enclosure
around the feeding needle 1 was at a pressure P.sub.0>P.sub.a.
The liquid feeding pressure, P.sub.1, should always be slightly
higher than the gas propelling pressure, P.sub.0. Depending on the
pressure drop in the needle and the liquid feeding system, the
pressure difference (P.sub.1-P.sub.0>0) and the flow-rate of the
liquid to be atomized, Q, are linearly related provided the flow is
laminar--which is indeed the case with this prototype. The critical
dimensions are the distance from the needle to the plate (H), the
needle diameter (D.sub.0), the diameter of the orifice through
which the microjet 6 is discharged (d.sub.0) and the axial length,
e, of the orifice (ie. the thickness of the plate where the orifice
is made). In this prototype, H was varied from 0.3 to 0.7 mm on
constancy of the distances (D.sub.0=0.45 mm, d.sub.0-0.2 mm) and
e-0.5 mm. The quality of the resulting spray 7 did not vary
appreciably with changes in H provided the operating regime (i.e.
stationary drop and microjet) was maintained. However, the system
stability suffered at the longer H distances (about 0.7 mm). The
other atomizer dimensions had no effect on the spray or the
prototype functioning provided the zone around the needle (its
diameter) was large enough relative to the feeding needle. As
explained further below it is possible to obtain a stable capillary
microjet which does not disassociate into a monodisperse aerosol.
However, by adjusting parameters which relate to the Weber number a
stable microjet is formed which disassociates to monodisperse
aerosol.
Weber Number
[0081] Adjusting parameters to obtain a stable capillary microjet
and control its breakup into monodisperse particle is governed by
the Weber number and the liquid-to-gas velocity ratio or a which
equal V.sub.1/V.sub.g. The Weber number or "We" is defined by the
following equation: 9 We = g V g 2 d
[0082] wherein .rho..sub.g is the density of the gas, d is the
diameter of the stable microjet, .gamma. is the liquid-gas surface
tension, and V.sub.g.sup.2 is the velocity of the gas squared.
[0083] When carrying out the invention the parameters should be
adjusted so that the Weber number is greater than 1 in order to
produce a stable capillary microjet. However, to obtain a particle
dispersion which is monodisperse (i.e. each particle has the same
size .+-.3 to .+-.30%) the parameters should be adjusted so that
the Weber number is less than 40. The monodisperse aerosol is
obtained with a Weber number in a range of about 1 to about 40 when
the breaking time is sufficiently small to avoid non-symmetric
perturbations. (1.ltoreq.We.ltoreq.40)
Ohnesorge Number
[0084] A measure of the relative importance of viscosity on the jet
breakup can be estimated from the Ohnesorge number defined as the
ratio between two characteristic times: the viscous time t.sub.v
and the breaking time t.sub.b. The breaking time t.sub.b is given
by [see Rayleigh (1878)] 10 t b ~ ( 1 d 2 ) 1 2 . ( 2 )
[0085] Perturbations on the jet surface are propagated inside by
viscous diffusion in times t.sub.v of the order of
t.sub.v.about..rho..sub.1d.sup.2/.mu..sub.1, (3)
[0086] where .mu..sub.1 is the viscosity of the liquid. Then, the
Ohnesorge number, Oh, results 11 Oh = 1 ( 1 d ) 1 2 . ( 4 )
[0087] If this ratio is much smaller than unity viscosity plays no
essential role in the phenomenon under consideration. Since the
maximum value of the Ohnesorge number in actual experiments
conducted is as low as 3.7.times.10.sup.-2, viscosity plays no
essential role during the process of jet breakup.
Embodiment of FIG. 2
[0088] A variety of configurations of components and types of
fluids will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon
reading this disclosure. These configurations and fluids are
encompassed by the present invention provided they can produce a
stable capillary microjet of a first fluid from a source to an exit
port of a pressure chamber containing a second fluid. The stable
microjet is formed by the first fluid flowing from the feeding
source to the exit port of the pressure chamber being accelerated
and stabilized by tangential viscous stress exerted by the second
fluid in the pressure chamber on the surface of the first fluid
forming the microjet. The second fluid forms a focusing funnel when
a variety of parameters are correctly tuned or adjusted. For
example, the speed, pressure, viscosity and miscibility of the
first and second fluids are chosen to obtain the desired results of
a stable microjet of the first fluid focused into the center of a
funnel formed with the second fluid. These results are also
obtained by adjusting or tuning physical parameters of the device,
including the size of the opening from which the first fluid flows,
the size of the opening from which both fluids exit, and the
distance between these two openings.
[0089] The embodiment of FIG. 1 can, itself, be arranged in a
variety of configurations. Further, as indicated above, the
embodiment may include a plurality of feeding needles. A plurality
of feeding needles may be configured concentrically in a single
construct, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0090] The components of the embodiment of FIG. 2 are as
follows:
[0091] 21. Feeding needle--tube or source of fluid.
[0092] 22. End of the feeding needle used to insert the liquids to
be atomized.
[0093] 23. Pressure chamber.
[0094] 24. Orifice used as gas inlet.
[0095] 25. End of the feeding needle used to evacuate the liquid to
be atomized.
[0096] 26. Orifice through which withdrawal takes place.
[0097] 27. Atomizate (spray) or aerosol.
[0098] 28. First liquid to be atomized (inner core of
particle).
[0099] 29. Second liquid to be atomized (outer coating of
particle).
[0100] 30. Gas for creation of microjet.
[0101] 31. Internal tube of feeding needle.
[0102] 32. External tube of feeding needle.
[0103] D=diameter of the feeding needle; d=diameter of the orifice
through which the microjet is passed; e=axial length of the orifice
through which withdrawal takes place; H=distance from the feeding
needle to the microjet outlet; .gamma.=surface tension;
P.sub.0=pressure inside the chamber; P.sub.a=atmospheric
pressure.
[0104] The embodiment of FIG. 2 is preferably used when attempting
to form a spherical particle of one substance coated by another
substance. The device of FIG. 2 is comprised of the same basic
component as per the device of FIG. 1 and further includes a second
feeding source 32 which is positioned concentrically around the
first cylindrical feeding source 31. The second feeding source may
be surrounded by one or more additional feeding sources with each
concentrically positioned around the preceding source. The outer
coating may be used for a variety of purposes, including: coating
particles to prevent small particles from sticking together; to
obtain a sustained release effect of the active compound (e.g,. a
pharmaceutically active drug) inside, and/or to mask flavors; and
to protect the stability of another compound (e.g. a
pharmaceutically active drug) contained therein.
[0105] The process is based on the microsuction which the
liquid-gas or liquid-liquid interphase undergoes (if both are
immiscible), when said interphase approaches a point beginning from
which one of the fluids is suctioned off while the combined suction
of the two fluids is produced. The interaction causes the fluid
physically surrounded by the other to form a capillary microjet
which finally breaks into spherical drops. If instead of two fluids
(gas-liquid), three or more are used that flow in a concentric
manner by injection using concentric tubes, a capillary jet
composed of two or more layers of different fluids is formed which,
when it breaks, gives rise to the formation of spheres composed of
several approximately concentric spherical layers of different
fluids. The size of the outer sphere (its thickness) and the size
of the inner sphere (its volume) can be precisely adjusted. This
can allow the manufacture of coated particles for a variety of end
uses. For example the thickness of the coating can be varied in
different manufacturing events to obtain coated particles which
have gradually decreasing thicknesses to obtain a controlled
release effect of the contents, e.g. a pharmaceutically active
drug. The coating could merely prevent the particles from
degrading, reacting, or sticking together.
[0106] The method is based on the breaking of a capillary microjet
composed of a nucleus of one liquid or gas and surrounded by
another or other liquids and gases which are in a concentric manner
injected by a special injection head, in such a way that they form
a stable capillary microjet and that they do not mix by diffusion
during the time between when the microjet is formed and when it is
broken. When the capillary microjet is broken into spherical drops
under the proper operating conditions, which will be described in
detail below, these drops exhibit a spherical nucleus, the size and
eccentricity of which can be controlled.
[0107] In the case of spheres containing two materials, the
injection head 25 consists of two concentric tubes with an external
diameter on the order of one millimeter. Through the internal tube
31 is injected the material that will constitute the nucleus of the
microsphere, while between the internal tube 31 and the external
tube 32 the coating is injected. The fluid of the external tube 32
joins with the fluid of tube 31 as the fluids exit the feeding
needle, and the fluids (normally liquids) thus injected are
accelerated by a stream of gas that passes through a small orifice
24 facing the end of the injection tubes. When the drop in pressure
across the orifice 24 is sufficient, the liquids form a completely
stationary capillary microjet, if the quantities of liquids that
are injected are stationary. This microjet does not touch the walls
of the orifice, but passes through it wrapped in the stream of gas
or funnel formed by gas from the tube 32. Because the funnel of gas
focuses the liquid, the size of the exit orifice 26 does not
dictate the size of the particles formed.
[0108] When the parameters are correctly adjusted, the movement of
the liquid is uniform at the exit of the orifice 26 and the
viscosity forces are sufficiently small so as not to alter either
the flow or the properties of the liquids; for example, if there
are biochemical molecular specimens having a certain complexity and
fragility, the viscous forces that would appear in association with
the flow through a micro-orifice might degrade these
substances.
[0109] FIG. 2 shows a simplified diagram of the feeding needle 21,
which is comprised of the concentric tubes 30, 31 through the
internal and external flows of the fluids 28, 29 that are going to
compose the microspheres comprised of two immiscible fluids. The
difference in pressures P.sub.0-P.sub.a (P.sub.0>P.sub.a)
through the orifice 26 establishes a flow of gas present in the
chamber 23 and which is going to surround the microjet at its exit.
The same pressure gradient that moves the gas is the one that moves
the microjet in an axial direction through the hole 26, provided
that the difference in pressures P.sub.0-P.sub.a is sufficiently
great in comparison with the forces of surface tension, which
create an adverse gradient in the direction of the movement.
[0110] There are two limitations for the minimum sizes of the
inside and outside jets that are dependent (a) on the surface
tensions .gamma.1 of the outside liquid 29 with the gas 30 and
.gamma.2 of the outside liquid 29 with the inside liquid 28, and
(b) on the difference in pressures .DELTA.P=P.sub.0-P.sub.a through
the orifice 26. In the first place, the jump in pressures .DELTA.P
must be sufficiently great so that the adverse effects of the
surface tension are minimized. This, however, is attained for very
modest pressure increases: for example, for a 10 micron jet of a
liquid having a surface tension of 0.05 N/m (tap water), the
necessary minimum jump in pressure is in the order of 0.05
(N/m)/0.00001 m=.DELTA.P=50 mBar. But, in addition, the breakage of
the microjet must be regular and axilsymmetric, so that the drops
will have a uniform size, while the extra pressure .DELTA.P cannot
be greater than a certain value that is dependent on the surface
tension of the outside liquid with the gas .gamma.1 and on the
outside diameter of the microjet. It has been experimentally shown
that this difference in pressures cannot be greater than 20 times
the surface tension .gamma.1 divided by the outside radius of the
microjet.
[0111] Therefore, given some inside and outside diameters of the
microjet, there is a range of operating pressures between a minimum
and a maximum; nonetheless, experimentally the best results are
obtained for pressures in the order of two to three times the
minimum.
[0112] The viscosity values of the liquids must be such that the
liquid with the greater viscosity .mu..sub.max verifies, for a
diameter d of the jet predicted for this liquid and a difference
through the orifice .DELTA.P, the inequality: 12 max Pd 2 D Q
[0113] With this, the pressure gradients can overcome the
extensional forces of viscous resistance exerted by the liquid when
it is suctioned toward the orifice.
[0114] Moreover, the liquids must have very similar densities in
order to achieve the concentricity of the nucleus of the
microsphere, since the relation of velocities between the liquids
moves according to the square root of the densities
v1/v2=(.rho.2/.rho.1).sup.1/2 and both jets, the inside jet and the
outside jet, must assume the most symmetrical configuration
possible, which does not occur if the liquids have different
velocities (FIG. 2). Nonetheless, it has been experimentally
demonstrated that, on account of the surface tension .gamma.2
between the two liquids, the nucleus tends to migrate toward the
center of the microsphere, within prescribed parameters.
[0115] When two liquids and gas are used on the outside, the
distance between the planes of the mouths of the concentric tubes
can vary, without the characteristics of the jet being
substantially altered, provided that the internal tube 31 is not
introduced into the external one 32 more than one diameter of the
external tube 32 and provided that the internal tube 31 does not
project more than two diameters from the external tube 32. The best
results are obtained when the internal tube 31 projects from the
external one 32 a distance substantially the same as the diameter
of the internal tube 31. This same criterion is valid if more than
two tubes are used, with the tube that is surrounded (inner tube)
projecting beyond the tube that surrounds (outer tube) by a
distance substantially the same as the diameter of the first
tube.
[0116] The distance between the plane of the internal tube 31 (the
one that will normally project more) and the plane of the orifice
may vary between zero and three outside diameters of the external
tube 32, depending on the surface tensions between the liquids and
with the gas, and on their viscosity values. Typically, the optimal
distance is found experimentally for each particular configuration
and each set of liquids used.
[0117] The proposed atomizing system obviously requires fluids that
are going to be used in the resulting spray to have certain flow
parameters. Accordingly, flows for this use must be:
[0118] Flows that are suitable so that the system falls within the
parametric window of stability. Multiplexing (i.e. several sets of
concentric tubes) may be used, if the flows required are greater
than those of an individual cell.
[0119] Flows that are suitable so that the mass relation of the
fluids falls within the specifications of each application. Of
course, a greater flow of gas may be supplied externally by any
means in specific applications, since this does not interfere with
the functioning of the atomizer.
[0120] If the flows are varied, the characteristic time of this
variation must be less than the hydrodynamic residence times of
liquid and gas in the microjet, and less than the inverse of the
first natural oscillation frequency of the drop formed at the end
of the injection needle.
[0121] Therefore, any means for continuous supply of gas
(compressors, pressure deposits, etc.) and of liquid (volumetric
pumps, pressure bottles) may be used. If multiplexing is desired,
the flow of liquid must be as homogeneous as possible between the
various cells, which may require impulse through multiple capillary
needles, porous media, or any other medium capable of distributing
a homogeneous flow among different feeding points.
[0122] Each atomizing device will consist of concentric tubes 31,
32 with a diameter ranging between 0.05 and 2 mm, preferably
between 0.1 and 0.4 mm, on which the drop from which the microjet
emanates can be anchored, and a small orifice (between 0.001 and 2
mm in diameter, preferably between 0.1 and 0.25 mm), facing the
drop and separated from the point of feeding by a distance between
0.001 and 2 mm, preferably between 0.2 and 0.5 mm. The orifice puts
the suction gas that surrounds the drop, at higher pressure, in
touch with the area in which the atomizing is to be attained, at
lower pressure.
Embodiment of FIG. 3
[0123] The embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 are similar in a number of
ways. Both have a feeding piece which is preferably in the form of
a feeding needle with a circular exit opening. Further, both have
an exit port in the pressure chamber which is positioned directly
in front of the flow path of fluid out of the feeding source.
Precisely maintaining the alignment of the flow path of the feeding
source with the exit port of the pressure chamber can present an
engineering challenge particularly when the device includes a
number of feeding needles. The embodiment of FIG. 3 is designed to
simplify the manner in which components are aligned. The embodiment
of FIG. 3 uses a planar feeding piece (which by virtue of the
withdrawal effect produced by the pressure difference across a
small opening through which fluid is passed) to obtain multiple
microjets which are expelled through multiple exit ports of a
pressure chamber thereby obtaining multiple aerosol streams.
Although a single planar feeding member as shown in FIG. 3 it, of
course, is possible to produce a device with a plurality of planar
feeding members where each planar feeding member feeds fluid to a
linear array of outlet orifices in the surrounding pressure
chamber. In addition, the feeding member need not be strictly
planar, and may be a curved feeding device comprised of two
surfaces that maintain approximately the same spatial distance
between the two pieces of the feeding source. Such curved devices
may have any level of curvature, e.g. circular, semicircular,
elliptical, hemi-elliptical, etc.
[0124] The components of the embodiment of FIG. 3 are as
follows:
[0125] 41. Feeding piece.
[0126] 42. End of the feeding piece used to insert the fluid to be
atomized.
[0127] 43. Pressure chamber.
[0128] 44. Orifice used as gas inlet.
[0129] 45. End of the feeding needle used to evacuate the liquid to
be atomized.
[0130] 46. Orifices through which withdrawal takes place.
[0131] 47. Atomizate (spray) or aerosol.
[0132] 48. first fluid containing material to be atomized.
[0133] 49. second fluid for creation of microjet.
[0134] 50. wall of the propulsion chamber facing the edge of the
feeding piece.
[0135] 51. channels for guidance of fluid through feeding
piece.
[0136] d.sub.j=diameter of the microjet formed; .rho..sub.A=liquid
density of first fluid (48); .rho..sub.B=liquid density of second
fluid (49); v.sub.A=velocity of the first liquid (48),
v.sub.B=velocity of the second liquid (49); e=axial length of the
orifice through which withdrawal takes place; H=distance from the
feeding needle to the microjet outlet; P.sub.0=pressure inside the
chamber; .DELTA.p.sub.g=change in pressure of the gas;
P.sub.a=atmospheric pressure; Q=volumetric flow rate
[0137] The proposed dispersing device consists of a feeding piece
41 which creates a planar feeding channel through which a where a
first fluid 48 flows. The flow is preferably directed through one
or more channels of uniform bores that are constructed on the
planar surface of the feeding piece 41. A pressure chamber 43 that
holds the propelling flow of a second liquid 49, houses the feeding
piece 41 and is under a pressure above maintained outside the
chamber wall 50. One or more orifices, openings or slots (outlets)
46 made in the wall 52 of the propulsion chamber face the edge of
the feeding piece. Preferably, each bore or channel of the feeding
piece 41 has its flow path substantially aligned with an outlet
46.
[0138] Formation of the microjet and its acceleration are based on
the abrupt pressure drop resulting from the steep acceleration
undergone by the second fluid 49 on passing through the orifice 46,
similarly to the procedure described above for embodiments of FIGS.
1 and 2 when the second fluid 49 is a gas.
[0139] When the second fluid 49 is a gas and the first fluid 48 is
a liquid, the microthread formed is quite long and the liquid
velocity is much smaller than the gas velocity. In fact, the low
viscosity of the gas allows the liquid to flow at a much lower
velocity; as a result, the microjet is actually produced and
accelerated by stress forces normal to the liquid surface, i.e.
pressure forces. Hence, one effective approximation to the
phenomenon is to assume that the pressure difference established
will result in the same kinetic energy per unit volume for both
fluids (liquid and gas), provided gas compressibility effects are
neglected. The diameter d.sub.j of the microjet formed from a
liquid density .rho..sub.1 that passes at a volumetric flow-rate Q
through an orifice across which a pressure difference
.DELTA.P.sub.g exists will be given by 13 d j ( 8 1 .PI. 2 P g ) 1
4 Q 1 2
[0140] See Gan-Calvo, Physical Review Letters, 80:285-288
(1998).
[0141] The relation between the diameter of the microjet, d.sub.j,
and that of the resulting drops, {overscore (d)}, depends on the
ratio between viscous forces and surface tension forces on the
liquid on the one hand, and between dynamic forces and surface
tension forces on the gas on the other (i.e. on the Ohnesorge and
Weber numbers, respectively) (Hinds (Aerosol Technology, John &
Sons, 1982), Lefevre (Atomization and Sprays, Hemisphere Pub.
Corp., 1989) and Bayvel & Orzechowski (Liquid Atomization,
Taylor & Francis, 1993)). At moderate to low gas velocities and
low viscosities the relation is roughly identical with that for
capillarity instability developed by Rayleigh:
{overscore (d)}=1.89d.sub.j
[0142] Because the liquid microjet is very long, at high liquid
flow-rates the theoretical rupture point lies in the turbulent zone
created by the gas jet, so turbulent fluctuations in the gas
destabilize or rupture the liquid microjet in a more or less uneven
manner. As a result, the benefits of drop size uniformity are
lost.
[0143] On the other hand, when the second fluid 49 is a liquid and
the first fluid 48 is a gas, the facts that the liquid is much more
viscous and that the gas is much less dense virtually equalize the
fluid and gas velocities. The gas microthread formed is much
shorter; however, because its rupture zone is almost invariably
located in a laminar flowing stream, dispersion in the size of the
microbubbles formed is almost always small. At a volumetric gas
flow-rate Q.sub.g and a liquid overpressure .DELTA.P.sub.1, the
diameter of the gas microjet is given by 14 d j ( 8 1 .PI. 2 P g )
1 4 Q g 1 2
[0144] The low liquid velocity and the absence of relative
velocities between the liquid and gas lead to the Rayleigh relation
between the diameters of the microthread and those of the bubbles
(i.e. d==1.89d.sub.j).
[0145] If both fluids 48, 49 are liquid and scarcely viscous, then
their relative velocities will be given by 15 v A v B = ( B A ) 1
2
[0146] The diameter of a microjet of the first liquid at a
volumetric flow-rate of A Q.sub.A and an overpressure of
B.DELTA.P.sub.B will be given by 16 d j ( 8 A .PI. 2 P B ) 1 4 Q A
1 2
[0147] At viscosities such that the velocities of both fluids 48,
49 will rapidly equilibrate in the microjet, the diameter of the
microjet of the first liquid will be given by 17 d j ( 8 B .PI. 2 P
B ) 1 4 Q A 1 2
[0148] The proposed atomization system obviously requires delivery
of the fluids 48, 49 to be used in the dispersion process at
appropriate flow-rates. Thus:
[0149] (1) Both flow-rates should be adjusted for the system so
that they lie within the stable parameter window.
[0150] (2) The mass ratio between the flows should be compatible
with the specifications of each application. Obviously, the gas
flow-rate can be increased by using an external means in special
applications (e.g. burning, drug inhalation) since this need not
interfere with the atomizer operation.
[0151] (3) If the flow-rates are altered, the characteristic time
for the variation should be shorter than the hydrodynamic residence
times for the liquid and gas in the microjet, and smaller than the
reciprocal of the first natural oscillation frequency of the drop
formed at the end of the feeding piece.
[0152] (4) Therefore, the gas and liquid can be dispensed by any
type of continuous delivery system (e.g. a compressor or a
pressurized tank the former and a volumetric pump or a pressurized
bottle the latter).
[0153] (5) The atomizer can be made from a variety of materials
(metal, polymers, ceramics, glass).
Spectrographic Analysis
[0154] An embodiment of the type shown in FIG. 1 can be modified to
provide an analytical device. A signal emitter (e.g. infrared) is
positioned such that the signal is directed at and through the
stable capillary microjet of fluid coming from the feeding source
1. A signal receiving component is positioned opposite the emitter.
Thus, the flow stream out of the feeding needle 1 is positioned
directly between the emitter and receiver. Two feeding needles may
be used so that one can provide a flow stream of, for example, the
solvent in which the material to be analyzed is dissolved. Two
readings are made simultaneously and the reading of the solvent is
subtracted away by microprocessor devices of the type known to
those skilled in the art to obtain a true analysis of only the
material of interest.
[0155] In addition to analysis of any compound dissolved or
suspended in a solvent the methodology can be used to analyze
materials such as body fluids e.g. blood or urine. The methodology
can be adapted to work in a wide range of different systems, e.g.
see U.S. Pat. No. 5,126,022 issued Jun. 30, 1992 and patents and
publications cited therein. The present invention does not need to
use electrical fields to move charged molecules as is required by
many other systems. Thus, non-polar molecules can be moved, via the
present invention, through the capillary microjet. Because of the
manner in which the stable capillary microjet is formed and
maintained materials such as large proteins, nucleotide sequences,
cells, and other biomaterials are not destroyed by physical
stresses.
Drug Delivery Device
[0156] A device of the invention may be used to provide particles
for drug delivery, e.g. the pulmonary delivery of aerosolized
pharmaceutical compositions. The device would produce aerosolized
particles of pharmaceutically active drug for delivery to a patient
by inhalation. The device is comprised of a liquid feeding source
such as a channel to which formulation is added at one end and
expelled through an exit opening. The feeding channel is surrounded
by a pressurized chamber into which gas is fed and out of which gas
is expelled from an opening. The opening from which the gas is
expelled is positioned directly in front of the flow path of liquid
expelled from the feeding channel. Various parameters are adjusted
so that pressurized gas surrounds liquid flowing out of the feeding
channel in a manner so as to maintain a stable capillary microjet
of liquid until the liquid exits the pressure chamber opening and
is aerosolized. The aerosolized particles having a uniform diameter
in the range of about 1 to 5 microns are inhaled into a patient's
lungs and thereafter reach the patient's circulatory system.
Production of Dry Particles
[0157] The method of the invention is also applicable in the mass
production of dry particles. Such particles are useful in providing
a highly dispersible dry pharmaceutical particles containing a drug
suitable for pulmonary delivery. The particles formed of
pharmaceutical are particularly useful in a dry powder inhaler due
to the small size of the particles (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 microns
in diameter) and conformity of size (e.g. 3 to 30% difference in
diameter) from particle to particle. Such particles should improve
dosage by providing accurate and precise amounts of dispersible
particles to a patient in need of treatment. Dry particles are also
useful because they may serve as a particle size standard in
numerous applications.
[0158] For the formation of dry particles, the first fluid is
preferably a liquid, and the second fluid is preferably a gas,
although two liquids may also be used provided they are generally
immiscible. Atomized particles within a desired size range (e.g., 1
micron to about 5 microns) The first fluid liquid is preferably a
solution containing a high concentration of solute. Alternatively,
the first fluid liquid is a suspension containing a high
concentration of suspended matter. In either case, the liquid
quickly evaporates upon atomization (due to the small size of the
particles formed) to leave very small dry particles.
Fuel Injection Apparatus
[0159] The device of the invention is useful to introduce fuel into
internal combustion engines by functioning as a fuel injection
nozzle, which introduces a fine spray of aerosolized fuel into the
combustion chamber of the engine. The fuel injection nozzle has a
unique fuel delivery system with a pressure chamber and a fuel
source. Atomized fuel particles within a desired size range (e.g.,
5 micron to about 500 microns, and preferably between 10 and 100
microns) are produced from a liquid fuel formulation provided via a
fuel supply opening. The fuel may be provided in any desired
manner, e.g., forced through a channel of a feeding needle and
expelled out of an exit opening of the needle. Simultaneously, a
second fluid contained in a pressure chamber which surrounds at
least the area where the formulation is provided, e.g., surrounds
the exit opening of the needle, is forced out of an opening
positioned in front of the flow path of the provided fuel, e.g. in
front of the fuel expelled from the feeding needle. Various
parameters are adjusted to obtain a stable fuel-fluid interface and
a stable capillary microjet of the fuel, which allows formation of
atomized fuel particles on exiting the opening of the pressurized
chamber.
[0160] Fuel injectors of the invention have three significant
advantages over prior injectors. First, fuel never contacts the
periphery of the exit orifice from which it is emitted because the
fuel stream is surrounded by a gas (e.g. air) which flows into the
exit orifice. Thus, clogging of the orifice is eliminated or
substantially reduced. Second, the fuel exits the orifice and forms
very small particles which are substantially uniform in size,
thereby allowing faster and more controlled combustion of the fuel.
Third, by using the methods described herein, the amount of energy
needed to produce aerosolized particles of fuel is substantially
less than that required by other methods.
Microfabrication
[0161] Molecular assembly presents a `bottom-up` approach to the
fabrication of objects specified with incredible precision.
Molecular assembly includes construction of objects using tiny
assembly components, which can be arranged using techniques such as
microscopy, e.g. scanning electron microspray. Molecular
self-assembly is a related strategy in chemical synthesis, with the
potential of generating nonbiological structures with dimensions as
small as 1 to 100 nanometers, and having molecular weights of
10.sup.4 to 10.sup.10 daltons. Microelectro-deposition and
microetching can also be used in microfabrication of objects having
distinct, patterned surfaces.
[0162] Atomized particles within a desired size range (e.g., 0.001
micron to about 0.5 microns) can be produced to serve as assembly
components to serve as building blocks for the microfabrication of
objects, or may serve as templates for the self-assembly of
monolayers for microassembly of objects. In addition, the method of
the invention can employ an atomizate to etch configurations and/or
patterns onto the surface of an object by removing a selected
portion of the surface.
Aeration of Water
[0163] More fish die from a lack of oxygen than any other cause.
Fish exposed to low oxygen conditions become much more vulnerable
to disease, parasites and infection, since low oxygen levels will
(1) lower the oxidation/reduction potential (ORP) (2) favor growth
of disease causing pathogens and (3) disrupt the function of many
commercially available biofilters. Moreover, stress will reduce the
fish activity level, growth rate, and may interfere with proper
development. A continuous healthy minimum of oxygen is
approximately a 6 parts per million (ppm) oxygen:water ratio, which
is approximately 24 grams of dissolved oxygen per 1000 gallons of
water. Fish consume on average 18 grams of oxygen per hour for
every ten pounds of fish. Low level stress and poor feeding
response can be seen at oxygen levels of 4-5 ppm. Acute stress, no
feeding and inactivity can be seen at oxygen levels of 2-4 ppm, and
oxygen levels of approximately 1-2 ppm generally result in death.
These numbers are merely a guideline since a number of variable
(e.g., water temperature, water quality, condition of fish, level
of other gasses, etc.) all may impact on actual oxygen needs.
[0164] Proper aeration depends primarily on two factors: the
gentleness and direction of water flow and the size and amount of
the air bubbles. With respect to the latter, smaller air bubbles
are preferable because they (1) increase the surface are between
the air and the water, providing a larger area for oxygen diffusion
and (2) smaller bubbles stay suspended in water longer, providing a
greater time period over which the oxygen may diffuse into the
water.
[0165] The technology of the invention provides a method for
aerating water for the proper growth and maintenance of fish. A
device of the invention for such a use would provide an oxygenated
gas, preferably air, as the first fluid, and a liquid, preferably
water, as the second fluid. The air provided in a feeding source
will be focused by the flow of the surrounding water, creating a
stable cusp at the interface of the two fluids. The particles
containing the gas nucleus, and preferably air nucleus, are
expelled into the liquid medium where aeration is desired. When the
first fluid of the invention is a liquid, and the second fluid is a
gas, the inertia of the first fluid is low, and the gas abruptly
decelerates very soon after it issues from the cusp of the attached
droplet. In such an instance, the microjet is so short that it is
almost indistinguishable from the stable cusp
EXAMPLES
[0166] The following examples are put forth so as to provide those
of ordinary skill in the art with a complete disclosure-and
description of how to make and use the present invention, and are
not intended to limit the scope of what the inventors regard as
their invention nor are they intended to represent that the
experiments below are all or the only experiments performed.
Efforts have been made to ensure accuracy with respect to numbers
used (e.g. amounts, temperature, etc.) but some experimental errors
and deviations should be accounted for. Unless indicated otherwise,
parts are parts by weight, molecular weight is weight average
molecular weight, temperature is in degrees Centigrade, and
pressure is at or near atmospheric.
[0167] The properties of sixteen different liquids are provided in
Table 1
1TABLE 1 Liquids used and some of their physical properties at
24.5.degree. C. (.rho.: kg/m.sup.3, .mu.: cpoise, .gamma.: N/m).
Also given, the symbols used in the plots. Liquid .rho. .mu.
.gamma. Symbol Heptane 684 0.38 0.021 .smallcircle. Tap Water 1000
1.00 0.056 .diamond. Water + glycerol 90/10 v/v 1026 1.39 0.069
.DELTA. Water + glycerol 80/20 v/v 1052 1.98 0.068 .gradient.
Isopropyl alcohol 755.5 2.18 0.021 .chi. Water + glycerol 70/30 v/v
1078 2.76 0.067 .oval-hollow. Water + glycerol 60/40 v/v 1104 4.37
0.067 0 Water + glycerol 50/50 v/v 1030 6.17 0.066 .smallcircle.
1-Octanol 827 7.47 0.024 .diamond. Water + glycerol 40/60 v/v 1156
12.3 0.065 .DELTA. Water + glycerol 35/65 v/v 1167 15.9 0.064
.gradient. Water + glycerol 30/70 v/v 1182 24.3 0.064 .chi. Water +
glycerol 25/75 v/v 1195 38.7 0.063 + Propylene glycol 1026 41.8
0.036 .circle-solid.
[0168] The liquids of Table 1 were forced through a feeding needle
of the type shown in FIG. 1. The end 5 of the feeding needle had an
internal radius R.sub.o. The exit orifice 6 had a diameter D and
the wall of the pressure chamber 3 had a thickness of L. Three
different devices were tested having the following dimensions:
(D=0.15, 0.2, and 0.3 mm; L=0.1, 0.2 and 0.35 mm; R.sub.o+0.2, 0.4,
and 0.6 mm, respectively), and several distances H from the tube
mouth to the orifice ranging from H=0.5 mm to H=1.5 mm have been
used. The jet diameter was measured at the hole exit and was
plotted as a function of the pressure difference .DELTA.P.sub.g and
flow rate Q respectively. Although this technique allows for jet
diameters even below one micron, larger flow rates and diameters
have been used in this study to diminish the measuring errors.
[0169] In order to collapse all of the data, we define a reference
flow rate Q.sub.0 and diameter d.sub.o based on the minimal values,
from expressions (3) and (5), that can be attained in stable regime
for a given .DELTA.P.sub.g: 18 Q o = ( 4 1 P g 3 ) 1 2 , d o = P g
( 6 )
[0170] These definitions provide the advantage of a nondimensional
expression for (5), as
d.sub.j/d.sub.o=(8/.pi..sup.2).sup.1/4(Q/Q.sub.o).sup.1/2, (7)
[0171] which allows for a check for the validity of neglecting the
surface tension term in (4) (i.e., Q/Q.sub.o should be large).
[0172] Notice that if the measured d.sub.j follows expression (5),
the surface tension cancels out in (7). Also notice that
d.sub.j/d.sub.o.congruent.We/2.
[0173] 350 measured values of d.sub.j/d.sub.o versus Q/Q.sub.o are
plotted in FIG. 5. A continuous line represents the theoretical
prediction (7), independent of liquid viscosity and surface
tension. The use of different hole and tube diameters as well as
tube-hole distances does not have any appreciable influence on
d.sub.j. The collapse of the experimental data and the agreement
with the simple theoretical model is excellent. Finally, the
experimental values of Q are at least four times large than Q.sub.o
(being in most cases several hundreds times larger), which
justifies the neglect of the surface tension term in Eq. (4).
[0174] While the present invention has been described with
reference to the specific embodiments thereof, it should be
understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be
made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the
true spirit and scope of the invention. In addition, many
modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation,
material, composition of matter, process, process step or steps, to
the objective, spirit and scope of the present invention. All such
modifications are intended to be within the scope of the claims
appended hereto.
* * * * *