JP5084007B2 - Particle separation method and separation apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention mainly relates to a particle separation method and a separation apparatus that are optimal for separating fine particles of nano-order to micron order by size.

Devices that can separate nanoparticles have been developed. (See Patent Document 1)
The apparatus described in Patent Document 1 separates fine particles according to their size using a gap formed between a lens and a flat plate. This device injects a solution containing fine particles into a gap formed between a lens and a flat plate, and the distance between the two is continuously reduced, and moves the fine particles in the solution containing fine particles toward the center of the lens. Let Utilizing the fact that the fine particles are trapped in the gap portion corresponding to the size, the fine particles are separated according to the size, and the distance between the gaps where the fine particles are trapped is determined by the interference of light between the lens and the flat plate. Measure by the resulting Newton ring.
JP-A-2005-249653

  The separation device of Patent Document 1 can separate nano-sized particles. However, this apparatus cannot efficiently select particles having a specific particle size from particles having various particle sizes.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a particle separation method and apparatus capable of efficiently sorting particles having a specific size from a mixture of particles having various particle sizes.

The particle separation method of the present invention has the following configuration in order to achieve the above-described object.
In the particle separation method, liquids containing particles having different particle diameters are ultrasonically vibrated to be atomized, and the particles contained in the atomized mist M and the particles remaining in the stock solution G are separated according to size.

  The particle separation method of the present invention can forcibly blow the atomized mist M. Furthermore, in the particle separation method of the present invention, the amount of air forcedly blown to the mist M can be set to 1 liter / min or more with respect to 1 W of input power of the ultrasonic vibrator 2 for ultrasonic vibration.

The method for separating particles according to the present invention can change the air volume forcibly blowing air to the mist M. In the method for separating particles of the present invention, water or an aqueous alcohol solution can be used as the liquid containing the particles. Furthermore, the method for separating particles of the present invention uses a liquid in which one or both of a surface tension change agent and a viscosity modifier is added to a liquid containing particles. Furthermore, in the method for separating particles according to the present invention, the average particle size of the particles to be separated can be 1 nm to 100 μm. Furthermore, in the method for separating particles according to the present invention, the particles are either genes or proteins, carbohydrates, glycoproteins, and carbon nanotubes, luminescent materials, phosphors, or their metal complexes, polymers, latex particles . Either .

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the particle separation apparatus of the present invention has the following configuration.
The particle separation device includes fine particles that are either genes or proteins, carbohydrates, glycoproteins, carbon nanotubes, luminescent materials, phosphors, or their metal complexes, polymers, latex particles , and a surface tension change agent Or the ultrasonic atomizer 1 which atomizes the liquid formed by adding either or both of the viscosity modifiers ultrasonically to the mist M, and the mist M atomized by the ultrasonic atomizer 1 And a collection unit 5 that collects the fine particles. The ultrasonic atomizer 1 includes an ultrasonic atomization chamber 4 that contains liquids containing particles having different particle diameters, and an ultrasonic vibration that atomizes the liquid in the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4 ultrasonically into the mist M. A child 2 and an ultrasonic power source 3 for supplying high frequency power to the ultrasonic vibrator 2 are provided. The separation device collects the fine particles contained in the mist M atomized by the ultrasonic atomizer 1 by the collection unit 5 and separates the fine particles according to size.

  The particle separation apparatus of the present invention includes a gas supply source 8 that forcibly blows a carrier gas in the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4, and can blow the mist M atomized by the gas supply source 8. The gas supply source 8 can forcibly blow the carrier gas into the ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4 with an air flow of 1 liter / min or more with respect to 1 W of input power of the ultrasonic vibrator 2. Further, the gas supply source 8 can have an air volume changing mechanism 37 that changes the air volume of the carrier gas blown into the ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4. Furthermore, in the particle separation apparatus of the present invention, the carrier gas can be air.

  The particle separation method and the separation apparatus of the present invention have the advantage that particles having a specific size can be efficiently sorted out from particles having various particle sizes. This is because the present invention atomizes liquids containing particles having different particle diameters by ultrasonic vibration, and separates the particles by size from the particles contained in the atomized mist and the particles remaining in the stock solution. It is. When liquids containing fine particles with different sizes are ultrasonically vibrated and atomized into mist, the small particles are separated from the stock solution in the state of being included in the atomized mist. It is not separated from the stock solution without being included in the mist to be converted. Therefore, the fine particles contained in the atomized mist are collected as fine particles having a particle size smaller than the remaining particles remaining in the stock solution as selected particles, thereby mixing particles having various particle sizes. It is possible to efficiently select particles having a specific size.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. However, the examples shown below exemplify the particle separation method and the separation device for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention does not specify the separation method and the separation device as follows. .

  Further, in this specification, in order to facilitate understanding of the scope of claims, numbers corresponding to the members shown in the examples are indicated in the “claims” and “means for solving problems” sections. It is added to the members. However, the members shown in the claims are not limited to the members in the embodiments.

  The particle separation method and separation apparatus of the present invention are suitable for separating fine particles by size. Particles separated by size are fine particles such as inorganic powder and organic powder. These fine particles are drugs, phosphor particles, and the like. The particles can be, for example, any of genes or proteins, carbohydrates, glycoproteins, and can be carbon nanotubes, luminescent materials, phosphors, or metal complexes or polymers thereof.

  As shown in the conceptual diagram of FIG. 1, the separation method and the separation apparatus of the present invention atomize liquids containing fine particles L and S having different sizes into mist M by ultrasonic vibration. When the liquid component W is removed from the atomized mist M and the fine particles are collected, the collected selected particles become finer than the remaining particles remaining in the stock solution G. The mist M atomized by the ultrasonic vibration is separated from the stock solution G in a state including the sorted particles that are small fine particles S. The mist M is not separated from the stock solution G in a state containing large fine particles L.

  The particle size of the selected particles contained in the mist M and separated from the stock solution G is affected by the particle size of the mist M. The mist having a large particle size is separated from the stock solution in a state including fine particles having a large particle size, and the mist having a small particle size is separated from the stock solution including only fine particles having a small particle size. The mist is generally separated from the stock solution with fine particles smaller than its own particle size. Therefore, the particle size of the fine particles separated from the stock solution can be adjusted by controlling the particle size of the mist, and the particle size of the selected particles separated from the liquid component contained in the mist can be adjusted.

  The particle size of the mist M can be adjusted by the type of liquid, air volume, temperature, and vibration frequency of the ultrasonic vibrator. In the liquid containing particles, either or both of a surface tension changing agent and a viscosity adjusting agent are added to adjust the surface tension and viscosity of the liquid. As the surface tension changing agent and the viscosity adjusting agent, amphiphilic substances and hydrophilic organic compounds such as alcohols, sugars, sugar alcohols, and surfactants can be used. The particle size of the mist M varies depending on the type of liquid. For example, the particle size of mist obtained by ultrasonically vibrating water at 30 ° C. is 100 nm, and the particle size of mist obtained by ultrasonically vibrating 30 ° C. ethyl alcohol is 1 nm. Therefore, the particle size of the mist can be controlled by the type of liquid. If the liquid is an ethyl alcohol aqueous solution, the particle diameter of the mist changes between 100 nm and 1 nm depending on the temperature of the liquid and the amount of air supplied. For example, when the temperature of a 20 mol% aqueous ethyl alcohol solution is 20 ° C., the mist particle size is 1 nm, and when the temperature is 20 ° C. to 50 ° C., the mist particle size is 1 nm and 100 nm. It becomes a state. Therefore, ethyl alcohol can increase the particle size by increasing the temperature. Further, when the temperature of the ethyl alcohol aqueous solution is 30 ° C. and the air volume is 15 liters / minute, the mist has a particle size of 1 nm and 100 nm. When the air volume is increased from this state to 50 liters / minute, the particle size of the mist becomes 1 nm, and the one with 100 nm disappears. Therefore, the air volume can be increased to reduce the mist particle size. However, in the above test, the input power of the ultrasonic transducer is 10 W and the vibration frequency is 2.4 MHz. It is also possible to control the mist particle size by changing the vibration frequency of the ultrasonic vibrator. In this case, it is possible to increase the vibration frequency and reduce the particle size of the mist.

  FIG. 2 shows a separation apparatus for separating fine particles according to size by the above method. The separation device of this figure includes an ultrasonic atomizer 1 that ultrasonically vibrates a liquid and atomizes it into a mist, and a collection unit 5 that collects selected particles from the mist atomized by the ultrasonic atomizer 1. Is provided. The ultrasonic atomizer 1 includes an ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4 having a closed structure to which liquids containing fine particles having different particle diameters are supplied, and the liquid in the ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4 is ultrasonically vibrated to form a mist. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers 2, a cylindrical body 6 disposed above each ultrasonic transducer 2, and an ultrasonic power source 3 connected to the ultrasonic transducer 2.

  In the separation device of FIG. 2, the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4 and the recovery unit 5 are separated separately and connected by a connection duct 7. This separation device causes the liquid mist atomized in the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4 to flow into the collection unit 5 having a closed structure. The collection unit 5 separates the liquid component from the fine mist and collects the selected particles. The sorted particles are recovered by vaporizing the liquid component of the mist.

  For example, the ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4 atomizes a liquid having a fine particle concentration of 1 to 50% by weight, and after the fine particles to be separated are separated as mist, the liquid is replaced with a new one. After a certain period of time, the liquid is replaced with a new one, that is, the liquid is replaced in a batch manner. In the illustrated separation apparatus, a raw liquid tank 10 storing a liquid containing fine particles is connected to an ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4 via a pump 11, and the liquid is supplied from the raw liquid tank 10 by operating the pump 11. doing. However, the separation device can also supply liquid continuously from the stock solution tank. For example, this apparatus supplies the liquid from the stock solution tank while discharging the liquid in the ultrasonic atomization chamber, and continuously separates the selected particles from the liquid. The liquid discharged from the ultrasonic atomization chamber can be circulated to the stock solution tank and circulated in the ultrasonic atomization chamber.

  The liquid in the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4 is atomized by the ultrasonic atomizer 1 as a mist containing selected particles. The mist atomized by the ultrasonic atomizer 1 is separated from the undiluted solution in a state including sorted particles having a small particle size. Therefore, the raw solution containing fine particles can be atomized into mist by the ultrasonic atomizer 1, and the selected particles can be recovered from the mist, so that small particles can be efficiently separated.

  In the illustrated apparatus, a cylindrical body 6 is disposed in an ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4. The cylindrical body 6 is disposed above each ultrasonic transducer 2 and efficiently scatters mist from the liquid that is ultrasonically vibrated by the ultrasonic transducer 2. The cylindrical body 6 has a cylindrical shape with an opening 12 at the upper end. The cylindrical body 6 is filled with a liquid, and ultrasonic vibration is applied to the liquid in the cylindrical body 6 toward the spraying port 12 so that the liquid is atomized into the mist from the spraying port 12 and scattered. The ultrasonic transducer 2 shown in the figure emits ultrasonic waves upward. Accordingly, the cylindrical body 6 is disposed in a vertical posture above the ultrasonic transducer 2. The cylindrical body 6 shown in the figure is a conical horn that becomes gradually thinner toward the upper end. However, the cylindrical body can also be an exponential horn whose inner surface has an exponential curve. The cylindrical body 6 of the conical horn or the exponential horn has a feature that the ultrasonic vibration can be efficiently transmitted to the inside and the liquid can be efficiently atomized into the mist. However, in the present invention, the cylindrical body may be a cylindrical shape, an elliptical cylindrical shape, or a polygonal cylindrical shape.

  The inner shape of the lower end opening of the cylindrical body 6 is smaller or larger than the outer shape of the ultrasonic vibrator 2 so that the ultrasonic vibration can be efficiently transmitted to the inside, and the liquid column P that is ultrasonically vibrated is the inner surface. To ascend along. For example, the inner diameter of the opening at the lower end of the cylindrical body 6 is 50 to 150%, preferably 60 to 100% of the outer diameter of the ultrasonic transducer 2.

  Further, the height of the cylindrical body 6 and the size of the spray port 12 are ultrasonic vibrations so that an air layer is not formed between the inner surface of the cylindrical body 6 and the liquid column P along the inside of the cylindrical body 6. It is designed that the liquid column P due to rises along the inside of the cylindrical body 6 and scatters in the vicinity of the spray port 12 as mist. However, in other words, the cylindrical body 6 can be made lower than the liquid column P so that the liquid column P protrudes from the spray port 12. Therefore, the height of the cylindrical body 6 and the size of the spray port 12 are designed to optimum values depending on the size, output, frequency, etc. of the ultrasonic transducer 2.

  In the illustrated cylinder 6, the lower end is disposed below the liquid level and the spray port 12 is disposed above the liquid level. This cylindrical body 6 guides ultrasonic vibration below the liquid level to the inside and scatters it as mist from the spraying port 12 above the liquid level.

  3 is disposed away from the ultrasonic transducer 2, and the cylindrical body 6 in FIGS. 4 and 5 is provided with the ultrasonic transducer 2 at the bottom thereof. 2, the lower end opening is liquid-tightly closed. The cylindrical body 6 whose lower end is closed by the ultrasonic vibrator 2 has an inflow port 13 for supplying a liquid therein.

  Furthermore, the cylinder 6 in FIG. 5 is branched into a plurality of branch cylinders 6A. Each branch cylinder 6A is a conical horn whose upper end is narrowed. Each branch cylinder 6A has a lower end opened and a spray port 12 opened at the upper end. The boundary between adjacent branch cylinders 6A is tapered so that the width gradually decreases toward the lower end so that the reflection of ultrasonic vibration is reduced and the inside of the branch cylinder 6A is efficiently transmitted. Yes. Each branch cylinder 6A has an inflow port 13 for supplying liquid. The cylinder 6 is supplied with liquid from the inlet 13. The supplied liquid branches and guides ultrasonic vibrations radiated from the ultrasonic vibrator 2 to the plurality of branch cylinders 6A. Inside each branch cylinder 6A, the liquid is ultrasonically vibrated to become a liquid column P, which is atomized into mist from the upper spray port 12 and scattered.

  Further, the cylindrical body 6 opens an injection port 14 for supplying the carrier gas to the mist atomized from the spray port 12, and connects the injection port 14 to the gas supply source 8. The carrier gas supplied from the gas supply source 8 is supplied to the mist from the jet port 14, and the mist sprayed from the spray port 12 is atomized into the carrier gas. The carrier gas containing the mist atomized in this state is supplied to the collection unit 5, and the collected particles are separated from the mist and collected by the collection unit 5. The carrier gas is air. However, the carrier gas is not limited to air and can be any gas capable of atomizing the liquid, such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide. In the illustrated apparatus, the gas supply source 8 is a blower 8A, and the carrier gas is air. The blower 8A of the gas supply source 8 sucks air and supplies the carrier gas air to the mist. The ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4 having a closed structure exhausts the air supplied from the blower 8 </ b> A to the connecting duct 7 and blows it to the collecting unit 5 through the connecting duct 7. Therefore, the apparatus that forcibly blows the carrier gas with the blower 8A into the ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4 having the closed structure does not include a blower that forcibly blows the carrier gas in the connection duct 7, and the recovery unit is removed from the ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4. The carrier gas can be blown to 5. However, it is also possible to connect a blower (not shown) to the connecting duct, and forcibly blow the carrier gas from the ultrasonic atomization chamber to the recovery unit with this blower.

  The air volume of the carrier gas supplied from the gas supply source 8 to the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4 affects the particle size of the mist to be atomized. When the air volume of the carrier gas is increased, the particle size of the mist is reduced. The carrier gas needs to be increased as the amount of atomization of mist increases. The amount of mist atomization increases by increasing the input power of the ultrasonic transducer 2. Therefore, the air volume of the carrier gas needs to be increased in proportion to the input power of the ultrasonic transducer 2. From this, the air volume of the carrier gas supplied to the mist from the gas supply source 8 is 1 liter / min or more, preferably 1.5 W or more, more preferably 3 W with respect to the input power 1 W of the ultrasonic transducer 2. That's it.

  The gas supply source 8 shown in the figure includes an air volume changing mechanism 37 that changes the air volume of the carrier gas blown into the ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4. The air volume changing mechanism 37 shown in the figure is an inverter 37A that controls the operation of the blower 8A. This air volume changing mechanism 37 controls the air speed of the carrier gas supplied to the ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4 by controlling the rotational speed of the fan of the blower 8A by the inverter 37A. However, the air volume changing mechanism can also be disposed as a damper 37B on the discharge side of the blower 8A, as indicated by a chain line in the figure. The damper 37 </ b> B adjusts the opening area through which the carrier gas passes and adjusts the air volume of the carrier gas supplied to the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4.

  The cylinder 6 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 has a double wall structure and a duct 15 provided inside the plane. The duct 15 is connected to an air outlet 14 opened at the upper end of the cylindrical body 6. The carrier gas supplied to the duct 15 is exhausted from the jet port 14. The fumarole 14 is opened in a slit shape around the upper end of the cylindrical body 6. The slit-shaped air outlet 14 exhausts the carrier gas in a ring shape. Mist is discharged inside the carrier gas exhausted in a ring shape. The cylindrical body 6 having this structure sprays mist on the inside of fresh carrier gas. For this reason, the liquid can be efficiently atomized into mist. This is because the mist is atomized into the carrier gas having a low liquid concentration.

  3 to 5 is connected to the connecting duct 16 so as to be detachable. Although not shown, a plurality of cylinders are connected to the connection duct 16. 3 is provided with a male screw 17 on the outer periphery of the lower end, and a connecting duct 16 is provided with a female screw hole 18 into which the male screw 17 of the cylindrical body 6 is screwed. The cylinder 6 is connected to the connecting duct 16 by screwing the male screw 17 into the female screw of the female screw hole 18. The connecting duct 16 is provided with a carrier gas supply duct 19 therein. The cylinder 6 is connected to the connection duct 16, the inlet of the duct 15 is connected to the supply duct 19 of the connection duct 16, and the carrier gas is transferred from the supply duct 19 of the connection duct 16 to the duct 15 of the cylinder 6. Supplied. 3 has ring grooves provided above and on the bottom surface of the male screw 17, and O-rings 20 and 21 are inserted therein. The O-rings 20 and 21 are in close contact with the inner surface of the female screw hole 18 in a state where the cylinder 6 is connected to the connection duct 16, and prevent gas leakage at the connection portion between the connection duct 16 and the cylinder 6. That is, the cylinder 6 is connected to the connection duct 16 in an airtight state.

  4 and 5 is provided with a columnar connecting portion 22 at the lower end, and a connecting hole 23 into which the connecting portion 22 is inserted is provided in the connecting duct 16. The connection hole 23 is provided through the connection duct 16 in the vertical direction. In order to prevent gas leakage between the connecting portion 22 and the connecting hole 23, the O-ring 20 is inserted into the ring groove provided in the upper portion of the connecting portion 22, and the O-ring 21 is set in the ring groove provided in the lower portion of the connecting hole 23. I put it. The O-rings 20 and 21 close the gap between the connecting portion 22 and the connecting hole 23 and connect the cylindrical body 6 to the connecting duct 16 so as not to cause gas leakage. The cylindrical body 6 is connected to the connecting duct 16, the inlet of the duct 15 of the cylindrical body 6 is connected to the supply duct 19 of the connecting duct 16, and the carrier gas flows from the supply duct 19 of the connecting duct 16 to the duct 15 of the cylindrical body 6. Supplied.

  Furthermore, the cylindrical body 6 shown in these drawings is connected so that the ultrasonic transducer 2 can be attached / detached via the attachment / detachment connector 24. The detachable connector 24 has a mounting chamber 25 that opens upward. The ultrasonic transducer 2 is fixed in the mounting chamber 25. The illustrated attachment / detachment connector 24 also houses a power supply circuit component 26 for driving the ultrasonic transducer 2 in the mounting chamber 25. The power supply circuit component 26 is connected to the ultrasonic transducer 2 via the lead wire 27 and outputs an ultrasonic output of an electrical signal to the ultrasonic transducer 2. The ultrasonic transducer 2 hermetically closes the opening of the mounting chamber 25. Therefore, the periphery of the ultrasonic transducer 2 is in close contact with the opening of the mounting chamber 25 via the packing 28. A power circuit component 26 is housed in a mounting chamber 25 that is watertightly closed by the ultrasonic transducer 2. For this reason, the power supply circuit component 26 does not need to have a watertight structure. The attachment / detachment connector 24 shown in the figure has a feature that the ultrasonic transducer 2 and the power supply circuit component 26 can be easily exchanged because the ultrasonic transducer 2 and the power supply circuit component 26 are built in the mounting chamber 25. However, the attachment / detachment connector may have a structure in which only the ultrasonic vibrator is accommodated in the mounting chamber, and the lead wire connected to the ultrasonic vibrator is pulled out of the attachment / detachment connector and connected to the power supply circuit. it can. This detachable connector does not necessarily have to fix the ultrasonic transducer to the watertight structure.

  The attachment / detachment connector 24 is connected to the lower end of the cylindrical body 6 so as to be attached / detached to a connection recess 29 provided to open downward. The removable recess 29 is provided with a female screw on the inner surface. The attachment / detachment connector 24 is provided with a male screw that is screwed into a female screw of the attachment / detachment recess 29 as an outer shape that can be inserted into the attachment / detachment recess 29. The removable connector 24 is connected to the removable recess 29 by screwing the male screw into the female screw. Since the attachment / detachment recess 29 communicates with the inside of the cylinder 6, the attachment / detachment connector 24 needs to be connected to the cylinder 6 with a liquid-tight structure. For this reason, the O-ring 30 is sandwiched between the inner surface of the removable recess 29 and the outer periphery of the removable connector 24. The O-ring 30 connects the O-ring 30 and the attachment / detachment connector 24 in a liquid-tight state, and the attachment / detachment connector 29 closes the attachment / detachment recess 29 at the lower end of the cylindrical body 6 in a liquid-tight manner.

  The ultrasonic atomizer 1 described above causes the ultrasonic vibrator 2 to vibrate ultrasonically and scatters liquid from the spray port 12 of the cylindrical body 6 as a mist. The liquid is ultrasonically vibrated inside the cylindrical body 6 and scattered from the spray port 12 as mist. The ultrasonic atomizer 1 shown in the figure has an ultrasonic transducer 2 disposed upward. The ultrasonic transducer 2 radiates ultrasonic waves upward from the bottom toward the inside of the cylinder 6 to ultrasonically vibrate the liquid, pushes up the liquid inside the cylinder 6, and forms mist from the spray port 12. Scatter. The ultrasonic transducer 2 emits ultrasonic waves in the vertical direction.

  As described above, the separation device including the cylindrical body 6 has an advantage that the stock solution in the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4 can be efficiently atomized into mist. However, the separation device of the present invention does not necessarily need to be provided with a cylinder. In the ultrasonic atomizing chamber, the separation device without the cylinder can be atomized into mist from the surface of the liquid column generated on the liquid surface by ultrasonically vibrating the liquid with an ultrasonic vibrator.

  The ultrasonic atomizer 1 in FIG. 2 includes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers 2 and an ultrasonic power source 3 that ultrasonically vibrates these ultrasonic transducers 2. The ultrasonic transducer 2 is fixed below the cylindrical body 6.

  The liquid mist atomized in the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4 flows into the recovery unit 5. In order to allow the mist to flow into the recovery unit 5, the apparatus of FIG. 2 connects the recovery unit 5 to the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4 by a connection duct 7.

  Furthermore, the apparatus of FIG. 2 has a mist suction part 9 above the spray port 12 of the cylinder 6 in order to efficiently collect the mist scattered from the spray port 12 of the cylinder 6 and supply it to the connecting duct 7. Is provided. The suction portion 9 shown in the figure is a cylindrical pipe and is arranged in a vertical posture above the cylindrical body 6. The suction portion 9, which is a cylindrical pipe, has a lower end disposed above the cylindrical body 6 and an upper end extending above the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4. The suction part 9 shown in the figure is located at the upper end edge of the cylindrical body 6 and arranges the lower end edge of the cylindrical pipe. However, the suction part can be arranged in a state where the lower end part is wrapped on the upper part of the cylinder, or the lower end edge can be arranged away from the upper end edge of the cylinder. Further, the opening at the lower end of the suction portion 9 has a larger opening area than the spray port 12 of the cylindrical body 6 so that the mist scattered from the upper end of the cylindrical body 6 can be collected without leakage. The suction part 9 is connected at its upper end to the upper part of the ultrasonic atomizing chamber 4, and this connection part is connected to the connection duct 7 so that the mist collected by the suction part 9 is transferred to the connection duct 7. ing. However, the inhalation part is not necessarily provided.

  The collection unit 5 vaporizes the liquid component of the atomized mist and collects the selected particles from the mist. The collection unit 5 in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a cyclone 31. The cyclone 31 heats the supplied carrier gas while rotating it in a horizontal plane, and vaporizes the liquid component of the mist. The vaporized liquid component is exhausted upward together with the carrier gas. The sorted particles separated from the mist are collected at the center of the lower end and discharged. The cyclone 31 is cylindrical and has an exhaust port 34 for discharging the carrier gas at the center of the top plate 33. A lower portion of the cylinder 32 is a tapered portion 35 that narrows downward. The lower end of the tapered portion 35 opens a discharge port 36 for discharging the selected particles separated from the mist.

  The carrier gas containing the mist is heated to vaporize the liquid component of the mist, and the selected particles are recovered from the mist. The carrier gas is heated by the cyclone 31 or heated by the connecting duct 7. In the present invention, mist containing fine particles is atomized from the stock solution. Thereafter, it is necessary to separate the particles contained in the mist from the mist. The liquid particles of the atomized mist can be vaporized to separate the selected particles. The present invention does not specify the timing for vaporizing the liquid component of the mist. Therefore, this invention can also vaporize the liquid component of mist in an ultrasonic atomization chamber. In order to realize this, the carrier gas heated by the gas supply source is supplied to the mist of the ultrasonic atomization chamber. Heating the carrier gas is also effective in improving the mist atomization efficiency. For this reason, the apparatus that heats the carrier gas and supplies it to the ultrasonic atomization chamber increases the efficiency of atomization of the mist and quickly vaporizes the liquid component of the atomized mist to remove the selected particles from the mist. Separate efficiently. The sorted particles separated from the mist float in the carrier gas and are transferred to the collection unit by the carrier gas. The cyclone 31 of the collection unit 5 rotates the carrier gas in a horizontal plane to collect and drop the selected particles around the center. The carrier gas from which the sorted particles are separated is exhausted from the exhaust port 34 of the top plate 33.

  The cyclone 31 of the collection unit 5 can efficiently separate the selected particles from the carrier gas. However, the present invention does not specify the collection unit as a cyclone. The recovery unit can also cool the carrier gas containing mist with a heat exchanger, condense the mist, and separate it from the carrier gas as a liquid containing selected particles. Sorted particles contained in the liquid are separated from the liquid by a centrifuge or separated from the liquid by sedimentation.

Reference example

Using the separation apparatus shown in FIG. 2, fine particles of 100 nm and 50 nm are separated.
The latex particles of 100 nm and 50 nm are mixed in the liquid water. The liquid is ultrasonically vibrated by an ultrasonic vibrator 2 having an input power of 10 W and a vibration frequency of 2.4 MHz, and atomized into mist. The temperature of the liquid is 30 ° C., the carrier gas supplied to the ultrasonic atomization chamber 4 is air, and the air volume is 10 liters / minute. The particle size distribution of the selected particles contained in the mist is as shown in FIG. As can be seen from this figure, the sorted particles recovered from the mist hardly contain 100 nm particles, and under these conditions, 50 nm particles can be sorted from 100 nm particles.

It is a conceptual diagram which shows the separation method of the particle | grains concerning one Example of this invention. It is a schematic block diagram which shows the separation apparatus of the particle | grains concerning one Example of this invention. It is a cross-sectional front view which shows the cylinder of the separation apparatus shown in FIG. It is a cross-sectional front view which shows another example of a cylinder. It is a cross-sectional front view which shows another example of a cylinder. It is a figure which shows the particle size distribution of the selection particle | grains contained in the mist atomized with the separation apparatus of this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Ultrasonic atomizer 2 ... Ultrasonic vibrator 3 ... Ultrasonic power supply 4 ... Ultrasonic atomization chamber 5 ... Collection | recovery part 6 ... Cylindrical body 6A ... Branch cylinder 7 ... Connection duct 8 ... Gas supply source 8A ... Blower 9 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Suction part 10 ... Stock solution tank 11 ... Pump 12 ... Spraying port 13 ... Inlet 14 ... Inlet 15 ... Duct 16 ... Connection duct 17 ... Male screw 18 ... Female screw hole 19 ... Supply duct 20 ... O-ring 21 ... O-ring DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 22 ... Connection part 23 ... Connection hole 24 ... Desorption connection tool 25 ... Mounting chamber 26 ... Power supply circuit component 27 ... Lead wire 28 ... Packing 29 ... Connection recessed part 30 ... O-ring 31 ... Cyclone 32 ... Cylindrical 33 ... Top plate 34 ... Exhaust Port 35 ... Tapered portion 36 ... Discharge port 37 ... Air volume changing mechanism 37A ... Inverter
37B ... Damper P ... Liquid column G ... Undiluted solution M ... Mist L ... Fine particles S ... Fine particles W ... Liquid component

Claims (12)

Separation of particles according to size by atomizing liquids containing particles with different particle sizes by ultrasonic vibration and separating particles contained in atomized mist (M) and particles remaining in stock solution (G) In the method
While atomizing the liquid from the surface of the liquid column generated by ultrasonically vibrating the liquid with an ultrasonic vibrator,
The particles are genes or proteins, carbohydrates, glycoproteins, carbon nanotubes, luminescent materials, phosphors, or their metal complexes, polymers, latex particles,
A method for separating particles, wherein a liquid obtained by adding one or both of a surface tension changing agent and a viscosity modifier to the liquid containing the particles is used.   The method for separating particles according to claim 1, wherein forced blast is applied to the atomized mist (M).   The method for separating particles according to claim 2, wherein the amount of air forcedly blown to the mist (M) is 1 liter / minute or more with respect to 1 W of input power of the ultrasonic vibrator (2) for ultrasonic vibration.   The method for separating particles according to claim 1, wherein the amount of air that is forcedly blown to the mist (M) is changed.   The method for separating particles according to claim 1, wherein water is used for the liquid containing the particles.   The method for separating particles according to claim 1, wherein an aqueous alcohol solution is used for the liquid containing the particles.   The method for separating particles according to claim 1, wherein the average particle size of the particles to be separated is 1 nm to 100 µm. It contains fine particles that are either genes or proteins, carbohydrates, glycoproteins, carbon nanotubes, luminescent materials, phosphors, or their metal complexes, polymers, latex particles, and any of surface tension modifiers or viscosity modifiers An ultrasonic atomizer (1) that atomizes the liquid formed by adding one or both of them to the mist (M) from the surface of the liquid column generated by ultrasonic vibration, and this ultrasonic atomizer (1) And a recovery unit (5) for recovering fine particles from the mist (M) atomized by the ultrasonic atomizer (1), an ultrasonic atomization chamber (1) for containing liquids containing particles having different particle sizes. 4) and the ultrasonic vibrator (2) that ultrasonically vibrates the liquid in this ultrasonic atomization chamber (4) to atomize it into the mist (M), and supplies high-frequency power to the ultrasonic vibrator (2). With an ultrasonic power source (3)
A particle separation device for collecting fine particles contained in the mist (M) atomized by the ultrasonic atomizer (1) by a collecting unit (5) and separating the fine particles according to size. Gas supply source to force blowing the carrier gas to the ultrasonic atomizing chamber (4) comprising a (8), as described in claim 8 for blowing in the gas supply source (8) in the atomized mist (M) Particle separator. Gas source (8) is, for the input power 1W ultrasonic transducer (2), to claim 9, forcibly blown carrier gas to the ultrasonic atomizing chamber (4) with 1 liter / min or more air volume A particle separation device as described. The particle separation apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the gas supply source (8) has an air volume changing mechanism (37) for changing the air volume of the carrier gas blown into the ultrasonic atomizing chamber (4). The particle separation apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the carrier gas is air.

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