Patent ID: 11899035
Assignee: IDEXX LABORATORIES, INC.
Field: Measurement (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G | IPC G

Claim 0:
1. A method for determining the density of particles, the method comprising:
passing a carrier fluid and particles suspended within the carrier fluid axially through a fractionation cell at a predetermined rate, wherein:
the carrier fluid has a predetermined density;
the fractionation cell has a housing including a first axial end and a second axial end opposite the first axial end and the fractionation cell defines:
an interior carrier fluid flow-through channel extending between the first axial end and the second axial end; and
at least an upper fluid outlet and a lower fluid outlet positioned below the upper fluid outlet in a vertical direction, the upper fluid outlet and the lower fluid outlet in fluid communication with the channel and positioned at the second axial end of the housing;

passing the carrier fluid and the particles through the upper fluid outlet and the lower fluid outlet;
measuring a first concentration of particles passing through the upper fluid outlet;
measuring a second concentration of particles passing through the lower fluid outlet; and
determining a density of the particles based at least in part on the first concentration and the second concentration of particles.