Method for modifying the properties of a fluid by irradiation, and system for implementing same

1. A method comprising:

supplying a flow of a fluid to an irradiation chamber;

focusing the flow of the fluid by applying a hydrodynamic force to the fluid so as to create at least one fluid layer, wherein the hydrodynamic force is applied by at least one other fluid layer, wherein the at least one other fluid layer comprises a neutral fluid and the fluid layers are in laminar flow; and

applying radiation to the at least one fluid layer in a defined portion of the irradiation chamber thereby modifying at least one physical, chemical or biological property of the fluid layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one fluid layer has a thickness that is less than the thickness of the defined portion in the irradiation chamber.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one fluid layer has a thickness that is less than 100 μm.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein focusing the flow of the fluid so as to create the at least one fluid layer further comprises applying one or more forces to the flow of the fluid selected from the group consisting of: centrifugal, acoustic, magnetic, optical, electrical, thermal and lift.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein a flow rate of the at least one other fluid layer comprising the neutral fluid is greater than a flow rate of the at least one fluid layer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydrodynamic force is applied by at least two other fluid layers, wherein the at least two other fluid layers comprise a neutral fluid, the at least one fluid layer is disposed between the at least two other fluid layers comprising the neutral fluid, and the fluid layers are in laminar flow.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the defined portion of the irradiation chamber is a channel having a thickness between about 0.1 millimeters to about 5 centimeters.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining at least one of the following properties: the opacity of at least one of the fluid layers, the speed of the flow of at least one of the fluid layers, the thickness of at least one of the fluid layers, and the dose of radiation applied to the fluid layers; and

adjusting the dose of radiation applied to the fluid layers based at least in part on this determination.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the radiation comprises ultraviolet radiation.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one fluid layer comprises a biological fluid.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one fluid layer comprises a biological fluid selected from the group consisting of: whole blood and a blood component.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one fluid layer comprises a biological fluid and one or more selected from the group consisting of: a photosensitive substance, an additive solution and a preservation solution.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein modifying at least one physical, chemical or biological property of the at least one fluid layer comprises reducing the number or activity of pathogens in the at least one fluid layer.

14. A method comprising:

supplying a flow of a fluid to an irradiation chamber, wherein the fluid comprises a biological fluid;

focusing the flow of the fluid by applying a hydrodynamic force to the fluid, wherein the hydrodynamic force is applied by at least one fluid layer comprising a neutral fluid, so as to create at least two fluid layers in laminar flow, wherein at least one fluid layer comprises the neutral fluid and at least one fluid layer comprises the biological fluid; and

applying radiation to the fluid layers in a defined portion of the irradiation chamber.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein focusing the flow of the fluid so as to create at least two fluid layers further comprises applying one or more forces to the flow of the fluid selected from the group consisting of: centrifugal, acoustic, magnetic, optical, electrical, thermal and lift.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein focusing the flow of the fluid creates at least three fluid layers in laminar flow, wherein at least two of the fluid layers comprise the neutral fluid, at least one fluid layer comprises the biological fluid, and wherein the at least one fluid layer comprising the biological fluid is disposed between the at least two fluid layers comprising the neutral fluid.

17. A method comprising:

supplying a flow of a fluid to an irradiation chamber;

focusing the flow of the fluid by applying a hydrodynamic force to the fluid so as to create at least one fluid layer;

applying radiation to at least one fluid layer in a defined portion of the irradiation chamber thereby modifying at least one physical, chemical or biological property of the fluid layer;

determining at least one of the following properties of the fluid layer to be irradiated: opacity of at least one fluid layer, speed of the flow of at least one fluid layer, thickness of at least one fluid layer, and dose of radiation applied to at least one fluid layer; and

adjusting the dose of radiation applied to at least one fluid layer based at least in part on this determination.