Patent ID: 9616361
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: B01D,B01L,C02F,C12M,C12N

Claim:
1. A system for separating particulates dispersed within a base fluid, the system comprising: a fluid inlet; a fluid outlet; a microchannel disposed between the fluid inlet and fluid outlet; a microporous body defining at least a portion of the microchannel; and a collection chamber on an opposing side of the microporous body; the system being configured such that the particulates and a portion of the base fluid traverse the microporous body under the influence of an ambient gravitational field and are collected in the collection chamber; and such that a first fluid flow having a first flow rate through the microchannel together with the microporous body operationally generate a second fluid flow within the collection chamber as base fluid and particulates traverse the microporous body and enter the collection chamber, and as base fluid re-traverses the microporous body and re-enters the microchannel, the second fluid flow having a flow rate which is a fraction of the first flow rate; and such that at least one of the particulates and the base fluid comprises an organic liquid.