Patent ID: 8749783

Claim:
A system for determining if a substrate has acceptable pore size and/or uniformity wherein the substrates are adapted to separate fluids having at least two surfaces, a first and a second surface, which are isolated from one another and wherein the substrates or devices containing the substrates which have an exit for fluids passing through the substrate, the system comprising: a) a particle generator capable of generating particles of a controlled size which is greater than the size of particles which the substrate is adapted to pass from the first surface to the second surface; b) a system for creating a pressure differential between the first and the second surface of the substrate; c) a light source spaced from the exit of the substrate or device containing the substrate adapted for illuminating particles exiting substrate or the exit of the device containing the substrate; d) a closed flow path from the particle generator to the first surface of the substrate; e) a substrate or device holder adapted for holding the substrate or device in the proper location in the system; f) a light capturing system that captures the light scattered by the particles exiting the second surface of the substrate or the exit of the device containing the substrate and said light capturing system having reference images of referenced substrates to define appropriate standards of light intensity and/or examples of unacceptable light intensities or variations in intensities; wherein from the light source is disposed such that light emitted from the light source contacts particles passing from the second surface of the substrate or the exit of the device containing the substrate and the references are compared to the light captured from the substrate and the substrate is accepted or rejected based thereon.