Fluid self-modulation
Combining through self-modulation a flow of active media from a working vessel of a bioprocess together with a flow of reference media and making a time- and/or spatially-resolved referenced optical measurement of the active vs reference media in a confined flow region and time, such that the two liquids are measured in substantially identical conditions.
1 . A microfluid flow system comprising:
a plurality of input ports, each of the plurality of input ports for receiving a liquid;
a means for applying pressure to each received liquid;
a liquid merge junction that merges the pressurized liquid from each of the plurality of input ports into a merged liquid flow in a microfluid flow channel;
an obstruction disposed in the microfluid flow channel that creates a vortex shedding state of the merged liquid as the merged liquid flows past the obstruction;
an optical interrogation region disposed at an optical sensing position downstream from the obstruction;
an electromagnetic radiation source that delivers, at the optical interrogation region, electromagnetic radiation at one or more wavelengths relevant to an optical characteristic of the merged liquid;
a detector that measures a result of the radiation interacting with the merged liquid at the optical interrogation region; and
a computing system that receives an output of the detector and calculates a one or more of physical characteristics or biochemical characteristics of the merged liquid based on the output of the detector.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the merged liquid comprises a boundary between at least two of the received liquids, and wherein the obstruction is disposed substantially at the boundary.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the obstruction causes a laminar flow state that produces a distinct boundary between a first liquid of the merged liquid and a second liquid of the merged liquid.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vortex shedding state of the merged liquid is an oscillating vortex flow that causes an alternating sequence of a portion of the received liquids to pass through the optical interrogation region.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the computing system calculates a differential between the received liquids based on an output of the detector one or more liquids of the portion of the received liquids that passes through the optical interrogation region.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vortex shedding state is a mixed liquid flow in which the received liquids in the merged liquid are mixed for passing through the optical interrogation region.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the computing system calculates at least one of a presence, concentration, and state of a component in one received liquid responsive to the mixing.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the obstruction comprises a flexible membrane that oscillates responsive to the pressure applied to each received liquid.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the optical interrogation region comprises a plurality of proximal regions disposed along a midline of the oscillation.
10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the obstruction forms the liquid merge junction.
11 . A microfluid flow system comprising:
a liquid merge junction that merges a plurality of pressurized liquids into a merged liquid flow of a microfluid flow channel that is configured to create a vortex shedding state of the merged liquid flow;
an electromagnetic radiation source that delivers electromagnetic radiation to the merged liquid flow in the vortex shedding state at one or more wavelengths relevant to an optical characteristic of the merged liquid flow; and
a computing system that monitors the delivery of the electromagnetic radiation to the merged liquid flow and calculates one or more of physical characteristics or biochemical characteristics of the merged liquid flow based on the monitoring.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the vortex shedding state is a laminar flow state that produces a clean boundary between a first liquid of the merged liquid flow and a second liquid of the merged liquid flow.
13 . The system of claim 11 , further including an optical interrogation region that is disposed to facilitate detecting a result of the electromagnetic radiation interacting distinctly with one or more liquids in the merged liquid flow based on the vortex shedding state.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the microfluid flow channel is configured to create an oscillating vortex flow that causes an alternating sequence of a portion of the plurality of pressurized liquids to pass through the optical interrogation region.
15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the microfluid flow channel is configured with an obstruction that creates the vortex shedding state.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the obstruction is disposed proximal to the liquid merge junction.