Interaction chambers with reduced cavitation
Apparatuses and methods that reduce cavitation in interaction chambers are described herein. In an embodiment, an interaction chamber for a fluid processor or fluid homogenizer includes an inlet chamber having an inlet hole and a bottom end, an outlet chamber having an outlet hole and a top end, a microchannel placing the inlet hole in fluid communication with the outlet hole, wherein an entrance to the microchannel from the inlet chamber is offset a distance from the bottom end, and at least one of: (i) a tapered fillet located on a side wall of the microchannel at the microchannel entrance; (ii) a side wall of the microchannel converging inwardly from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber; (iii) a top wall and/or bottom wall of the microchannel angled from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber; and (iv) a top fillet that extends around a diameter of inlet chamber.
1. An interaction chamber for a fluid processor or fluid homogenizer comprising:
an inlet chamber having an inlet hole and a bottom end;
an outlet chamber having an outlet hole and a top end;
a microchannel placing the inlet hole in fluid communication with the outlet hole, wherein an entrance to the microchannel from the inlet chamber is offset a distance from the bottom end of the inlet chamber; and
the microchannel having a rectangular cross-section with a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces, wherein at least three of the top surface, the bottom surface and the two side surfaces include a tapered fillet at the microchannel entrance.
2. The interaction chamber of claim 1 , which is at least one of an H-type interaction chamber, a Y-type interaction chamber, a Z-type interaction chamber and an HIJ-type interaction chamber.
3. The interaction chamber of claim 1 , wherein an exit from the microchannel to the outlet chamber at least one of: (i) is offset a distance from the top end of the outlet chamber; and (ii) includes at least one second tapered fillet.
4. The interaction chamber of claim 1 , wherein the distance between the microchannel entrance and the bottom end of the inlet chamber is in a range of 0.001 to 1 inch.
5. The interaction chamber of claim 1 , wherein the tapered fillet includes a rounded fillet.
6. A fluid processing system comprising an auxiliary processing module (APM) positioned upstream or downstream of the interaction chamber of claim 1 .
7. A method of producing an emulsion, comprising:
passing fluid through the interaction chamber of claim 1 .
8. A method of reducing particle size, comprising:
a particle stream through the interaction chamber of claim 1 .
9. An interaction chamber for a fluid processor or fluid homogenizer comprising:
an inlet chamber having an inlet hole and a bottom end;
an outlet chamber having an outlet hole and a top end;
a microchannel placing the inlet hole in fluid communication with the outlet hole, wherein an exit from the microchannel to the outlet chamber is offset a distance from the top end of the outlet chamber; and
at least one tapered fillet located on at least one side wall of the microchannel at the microchannel exit.
10. The interaction chamber of claim 9 , which is at least one of an H-type interaction chamber, a Y-type interaction chamber, a Z-type interaction chamber and an HIJ-type interaction chamber.
11. The interaction chamber of claim 9 , wherein the at least one tapered fillet is at least one of: (i) a rounded fillet; and (ii) located on a plurality of sides of the microchannel at the microchannel exit.
12. The interaction chamber of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a top wall and a bottom wall of the microchannel is angled for substantially an entire length of the microchannel from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber.
13. A fluid processing system comprising an auxiliary processing module (APM) positioned upstream or downstream of the interaction chamber of claim 9 .
14. A method of producing an emulsion, comprising:
passing fluid through the interaction chamber of claim 9 .
15. A method of reducing particle size, comprising:
passing a particle stream through the interaction chamber of claim 9 .
16. An interaction chamber for a fluid processor or fluid homogenizer comprising:
an inlet chamber having an inlet hole and a bottom end;
an outlet chamber having an outlet hole and a top end;
a microchannel placing the inlet hole in fluid communication with the outlet hole, wherein an entrance to the microchannel from the inlet chamber is offset a distance from the bottom end of the inlet chamber; and
at least one side wall of the microchannel converging inwardly for substantially an entire length of the microchannel from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber.
17. The interaction chamber of claim 16 , which is at least one of an H-type interaction chamber, a Y-type interaction chamber, a Z-type interaction chamber and an HIJ-type interaction chamber.
18. The interaction chamber of claim 16 , wherein an exit from the microchannel to the outlet chamber at least one of: (i) is offset a distance from the top end of the outlet chamber; and (ii) includes at least one tapered fillet.
19. The interaction chamber of claim 16 , wherein two side walls of the microchannel converge from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber.
20. A fluid processing system comprising an auxiliary processing module (APM) positioned upstream or downstream of the interaction chamber of claim 16 .
21. A method of producing an emulsion, comprising:
passing fluid through the interaction chamber of claim 16 .
22. A method of reducing particle size, comprising:
passing a particle stream through the interaction chamber of claim 16 .
23. An interaction chamber for a fluid processor or fluid homogenizer comprising:
an inlet chamber having an inlet hole and a bottom end;
an outlet chamber having an outlet hole and a top end;
a microchannel placing the inlet hole in fluid communication with the outlet hole, wherein an entrance to the microchannel from the inlet chamber is offset a distance from the bottom end of the inlet chamber; and
a top fillet that completely encircles a diameter of the inlet chamber.
24. The interaction chamber of claim 23 , which is at least one of an H-type interaction chamber, a Y-type interaction chamber, a Z-type interaction chamber and an HIJ-type interaction chamber.
25. The interaction chamber of claim 23 , wherein an exit from the microchannel to the outlet chamber at least one of: (i) is offset a distance from the top end of the outlet chamber; and (ii) includes at least one tapered fillet.
26. A fluid processing system comprising an auxiliary processing module (APM) positioned upstream or downstream of the interaction chamber of claim 23 .
27. A method of producing an emulsion, comprising:
passing fluid through the interaction chamber of claim 23 .
28. A method of reducing particle size, comprising:
passing a particle stream through the interaction chamber of claim 23 .
29. An interaction chamber for a fluid processor or fluid homogenizer comprising:
an inlet chamber having an inlet hole and a bottom end;
an outlet chamber having an outlet hole and a top end;
a microchannel placing the inlet hole in fluid communication with the outlet hole, wherein an exit from the microchannel to the outlet chamber is offset a distance from the top end of the outlet chamber; and
at least one side wall of the microchannel converging inwardly for substantially the entire length of the microchannel from the inlet chamber to the outlet chamber.
30. The interaction chamber of claim 29 , which is at least one of an H-type interaction chamber, a Y-type interaction chamber, a Z-type interaction chamber and an HIJ-type interaction chamber.
31. A fluid processing system comprising an auxiliary processing module (APM) positioned upstream or downstream of the interaction chamber of claim 29 .
32. A method of producing an emulsion, comprising:
passing fluid through the interaction chamber of claim 29 .
33. A method of reducing particle size, comprising:
passing a particle stream through the interaction chamber of claim 29 .
34. An interaction chamber for a fluid processor or fluid homogenizer comprising:
an inlet chamber having an inlet hole and a bottom end;
an outlet chamber having an outlet hole and a top end;
a microchannel placing the inlet hole in fluid communication with the outlet hole, wherein an exit from the microchannel to the outlet chamber is offset a distance from the top end of the outlet chamber; and
a top fillet that completely encircles a diameter of the inlet chamber.
35. The interaction chamber of claim 34 , which is at least one of an H-type interaction chamber, a Y-type interaction chamber, a Z-type interaction chamber and an HIJ-type interaction chamber.
36. A fluid processing system comprising an auxiliary processing module (APM) positioned upstream or downstream of the interaction chamber of claim 34 .
37. A method of producing an emulsion, comprising:
passing fluid through the interaction chamber of claim 34 .
38. A method of reducing particle size, comprising:
passing a particle stream through the interaction chamber of claim 34 .