Patent ID: 8883091
Filing Date: 2014-11-11
Classification: B01F,B01L,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An analysis system comprising a hydrodynamic focusing device comprising: a micro-fluidic inlet channel to convey a process flow; at least four micro-fluidic focusing channels to each convey one of at least four focusing flows, the at least four micro-fluidic focusing channels comprising a first channel, a second channel, a third channel and a fourth channel; a focusing manifold having a plurality of areas coupled with the micro-fluidic inlet channel at an inlet port and with the at least four micro-fluidic focusing channels at a plurality of focusing channel ports, wherein the focusing manifold is configured to focus the process flow by contacting the process flow with the at least four focusing flows from at least four different directions to form a focused process flow, wherein each different direction is from a different area of the focusing manifold; and a micro-fluidic outlet channel coupled with the focusing manifold at an outlet channel port to convey the focused process flow and the focusing flows from the focusing manifold; and an analysis device to analyze the focused process flow; wherein the focused process flow is separated from each wall of the micro-fluidic outlet channel with the at least four focusing flows; wherein the first and second channels are parallel and coplanar with the micro-fluidic inlet channel in a vertical plane; wherein the third and fourth channels are angled with respect to and coplanar with the micro-fluidic inlet channel in a horizontal plane.