Apparatus, systems and related methods for processing, dispensing and/or evaluatingl dry powders
Methods, systems, and computer program products flowably process dry powders using a non-linear vibratory signal individualized or customized to a target dry powder undergoing processing to facilitate fluidic flow through a flow channel.
1. A method of flowably dispensing or processing dry powders from a device having a dry powder flow path, comprising:
generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first non-pharmaceutical dry powder formulation;
applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a portion of a dry powder flow path while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough; and
providing a second non-pharmaceutical dry powder and mixing the first and second dry powders based on the generating and applying steps.
2. A method of flowably dispensing or processing dry powders from a device having a dry powder flow path, comprising:
generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first non-pharmaceutical dry powder formulation;
applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a portion of a dry powder flow path while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough;
generating a second non-linear vibration input signal, the second non-linear input signal comprising a plurality of different selected signal frequencies that correspond to predetermined flow characteristics of a second non-pharmaceutical dry powder formulation; and
applying the second non-linear vibration input signal to the flow path while the second non-pharmaceutical dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough, the second input signal being different from the first input signal.
3. A method of flowably dispensing or processing dry powders from a device having a dry powder flow path, comprising:
generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first non-pharmaceutical or pharmaceutical dry powder formulation; and
applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a portion of a dry powder flow path while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough,
wherein the vibration input signal comprises imparting a high frequency motion onto a selected portion of a hopper in the flow path, with outer bounds of a motion induced by the vibration input of the hopper is small.
4. A method of flowably dispensing or processing dry powders from a device having a dry powder flow path, comprising:
generating a first non-linear vibration input signal, the first non-linear input signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of different selected frequencies that correspond to a first non-pharmaceutical or pharmaceutical dry powder formulation; and
applying the first non-linear vibration input signal to a portion of a dry powder flow path while the first dry powder formulation is flowing therethrough,
wherein the first non-linear vibration input signal is generated using a plurality of superpositioned modulating frequencies, and
wherein the number of superpositioned modulating frequencies is at least three.
5. A method according to claim 4 , wherein the number of superpositioned modulating frequencies is four.
6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the four modulating frequencies are in the range of between about 10-15Hz.
7. A method of operating a dry powder filling system for dispensing non-pharmaceutical formulations of dry powder substances, comprising:
generating a vibratory signal comprising a carrier frequency modulated by a plurality of selected frequencies, wherein the selected frequencies corresponding to identified a priori flow characteristic frequencies of a non-pharmaceutical dry powder;
applying the vibratory signal to a dry powder in a dispensing flow path of a bulk powder enclosure; then
dispensing meted quantities of the dry powder from the dispensing flow path during the applying step,
wherein the a priori flow characteristic frequencies correspond to observed frequencies in an avalanche-analysis spectrum of the dry powder, and wherein the non-linear vibratory signal “x signal ” is a cumulative signal that comprises a sum of selected observed frequencies derived from an avalanche-analysis spectrum of the dry powder.
8. A method according to claim 7 , wherein the non-linear input signal “x signal ” is derived from a mathematical equation:
x signal =xf 2 +xf 3 +xf 4 +. . . xf n
where said f 2 , f 3 , f 4 . . . f n , respectively, correspond to most observed frequencies in an avalanche-based analysis spectrum of the dry powder and said “x” used with f 2 , f 3 , f 4 , f n , is a variable representing amplitude weight for a respective observed frequency.
9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein one or more of said xf2, xf3, xf4, . . . xfn is multiplied by a phase adjustment.