SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BUOYANT PARTICLE PROCESSING
A system for buoyant particle processing includes: a reaction vessel, a stirring mechanism, a set of one or more pumps, and a filter. The system can additionally or alternatively include a set of pathways and/or any other suitable component(s). A method for buoyant particle processing includes: stirring the contents of a reaction vessel; washing a set of buoyant particles; and filtering the contents of the reaction vessel. Additionally or alternatively, the method can include any or all of: preprocessing the set of buoyant particles; adding a set of inputs to the reaction vessel; washing the set of buoyant particles; repeating one or more; and/or any other suitable process(es).
1 . A system for processing a set of buoyant particles, the system comprising:
a reaction vessel, the reaction vessel comprising:
a first inlet configured to receive a wash buffer;
a second inlet configured to receive a set of processing materials;
a third inlet configured to receive the set of buoyant particles; and
a first outlet;
a stirring subsystem comprising a stir rod and an impeller, the impeller arranged within the reaction vessel;
a tangential flow filter comprising:
a set of hollow fibers, each of the set of hollow fibers having an inner diameter larger than a diameter of the set of buoyant particles;
a fourth inlet configured to receive the set of buoyant particles;
a second outlet;
a pump arranged downstream of the first outlet, wherein the pump comprises a diaphragm pump; and
a set of fluidic pathways configured to fluidly connect:
the first inlet with a wash buffer container, the wash buffer container comprising the wash buffer;
the second inlet with a processing material container, the processing material container comprising the set of processing materials;
the third inlet with the second outlet; and
the first outlet with the fourth inlet.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of the set of buoyant particles has a particle diameter between 10 and 30 microns, and wherein the inner diameter of each of the set of hollow fibers is greater than the particle diameter.
3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein each of the set of buoyant particles comprises glass.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein each of the set of buoyant particles comprises a silica glass coated in an aminosilane layer.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein a central axis of the fourth inlet is arranged parallel with a central axis of the set of hollow fibers.
6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the diaphragm pump comprises four pistons.
7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second pump, wherein the second pump comprises a peristaltic pump arranged upstream of the first inlet.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the set of processing materials comprises a first subset of processing materials, a second subset of processing materials, and a third subset of processing materials, wherein:
the first subset of processing materials forms a first layer arranged on the set of buoyant particles;
the second subset of processing materials forms a second layer arranged on the first layer; and
the third subset of processing materials forms a third layer arranged on the second layer.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein:
the first layer comprises a hydroxyl group; and
the second layer comprises a chain of repeating glycol units.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein:
the first layer comprises 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and an amino group;
the second layer comprises an amino-reactive group, a polyethylene glycol chain, and a thiol-reactive group; and
the third layer comprises a thiol group.
11 . A method for processing a set of buoyant particles, the method comprising:
a) at a reaction vessel comprising a first inlet, a second inlet, a third inlet, and a first outlet, receiving:
a set of processing materials at the second inlet; and
the set of buoyant particles at the third inlet;
b) stirring the contents of the reaction vessel with a stirring subsystem comprising a stir rod and an impeller, the impeller arranged within the reaction vessel;
c) receiving a wash buffer at the first inlet of the reaction vessel;
d) pumping the contents of the reaction vessel to a tangential flow filter with a pump, wherein the pump comprises a diaphragm pump;
e) at the tangential flow filter comprising a fourth inlet, a second outlet, and set of hollow fibers, each of the set of hollow fibers having an inner diameter larger than a diameter of the set of buoyant particles:
receiving the contents of the reaction vessel from the first outlet at the fourth inlet;
separating the set of buoyant particles from a remainder of the contents of the reaction vessel;
f) repeating (a) through (e) for a second set of processing materials; and
g) repeating (a) through (e) for a third set of processing materials.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the set of buoyant particles has a particle diameter less than 30 microns, and wherein the inner diameter of each of the set of hollow fibers is greater than the particle diameter.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each of the set of buoyant particles comprises glass.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein each of the set of buoyant particles comprises a silica glass coated in an aminosilane layer.
15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a central axis of the fourth inlet is arranged parallel with a central axis of the set of hollow fibers.
16 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the diaphragm pump comprises four pistons.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving the wash buffer at the first inlet of the reaction vessel comprises pumping the wash buffer from a wash buffer container to the first inlet with a second pump, wherein the second pump comprises a peristaltic pump arranged upstream of the first inlet.
18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein:
the first set of processing materials forms a first layer arranged on the set of buoyant particles;
the second set of processing materials forms a second layer arranged on the first layer; and
the third set of processing materials forms a third layer arranged on the second layer.
19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein:
the first layer comprises a hydroxyl group; and
the second layer comprises a chain of repeating glycol units.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein:
the first layer comprises 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and an amino group;
the second layer comprises an amino-reactive group, a polyethylene glycol chain, and a thiol-reactive group; and
the third layer comprises a thiol group.
21 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pump is arranged upstream of the fourth inlet.