US 12,078,580 B2
Hydrodynamic cavitation
Ugochukwu Chinedu Nze, Carson, CA (US); Himanshu Jayant Sant, Salt Lake City, UT (US); Bruce Kent Gale, Taylorsville, UT (US); Christopher J. Lambert, Salt Lake City, UT (US); Dhruv Patel, Patan (IN); and Michael Beeman, Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Assigned to University of Utah Research Foundation, Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed by UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RESEARCH FOUNDATION, Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed on Feb. 27, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/803,984.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/811,499, filed on Feb. 27, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0271555 A1, Aug. 27, 2020
Int. Cl. G01N 1/34 (2006.01); G01N 1/40 (2006.01); G01N 33/02 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 1/34 (2013.01) [G01N 1/4077 (2013.01); G01N 33/02 (2013.01); G01N 2001/4088 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for sample preparation, comprising:
a fluid circuit;
a filter loop, wherein the filter loop is incorporated into the fluid circuit;
a directional control valve configured to selectively direct fluid into the filter loop;
a cavitation chamber incorporated into the fluid circuit, the cavitation chamber including:
a channel;
a first cross-sectional area of the channel;
a second cross-sectional area of the channel, wherein the second cross-sectional area of the channel is smaller than the first cross-sectional area and oriented downstream from the first cross-sectional area with respect to fluid flow through the fluid circuit;
a third cross-sectional area of the channel, wherein the third cross-sectional area of the channel is larger than the second cross-sectional area and oriented downstream from the second cross-sectional area with respect to fluid flow through the fluid circuit, wherein the third cross-sectional area of the channel is also larger than the first cross-sectional area;
a pump in fluid communication with the cavitation chamber; and
a pressure sensor associated with the fluid circuit and positioned upstream of the cavitation chamber,
wherein the apparatus is configured to force a liquid mixture through the cavitation chamber at a pressure that separates pathogens from particles in the mixture without fragmenting at least 30% of the pathogens; and
wherein the directional control valve is configured to selectively direct fluid into the filter loop or a cavitation loop including the cavitation chamber.