Wind tunnel for assessment of insecticides
Inventors
Richards, Stephanie Lynn • Sousan, Sinan
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12590864-B2
Publication Date
2026-03-31
Expiration Date
Abstract
A wind tunnel system is configured to assess insecticides. The system includes: a chamber having an inlet configured to receive a gas flowing into the chamber and an outlet configured to output the gas from the chamber; an inlet filter configured to filter the gas flowing into the chamber; an outlet filter configured to filter the gas flowing out of the chamber; an aerosol generator configured to generate an insecticide aerosol downstream from the inlet filter; an insect container holder configured to secure an insect container in the chamber downstream from the aerosol generator and upstream from the outlet filter; and an airflow controller configured to flow the gas into the inlet and out of the outlet of the chamber such that the insecticide aerosol flows through an insect container in the chamber.
Core Innovation
The invention describes a compact wind-tunnel system for assessing insecticides. A filtered chamber contains an aerosol generator and an insect container holder, while an airflow controller directs gas through the chamber so that insecticide aerosol flows through the insect container. The system can also include a device for sampling and characterizing the aerosolized insecticide.
The provided partial content does not include the background section, so it does not explicitly identify a specific problem being solved. It states that the compact laboratory system is presented as a lower-burden alternative to field trials for assessing efficacy in mosquito-control programs. No additional background problem is stated in the supplied material.
Claims Coverage
The two independent claims cover a wind-tunnel system and a method of assessing insecticide. Six main inventive features summarize the independent claims and the refinements identified in the relevant dependent claims.
Filtered wind-tunnel system
The system has a chamber with an inlet and outlet, an inlet filter, an outlet filter, an aerosol generator, an insect container holder, and an airflow controller.
Aerosol generation and directed airflow
The aerosol generator generates insecticide aerosol downstream from the inlet filter, and the airflow controller flows gas through the chamber so that the aerosol flows through the insect container.
Insect container mounting
The holder secures an insect container in the chamber downstream from the aerosol generator and upstream from the outlet filter. Dependent claims specify cooperating magnets and a door-mounted connector arrangement.
Airflow control and aerosol characterization
Dependent claims specify a vacuum pump flow meter downstream of the holder and a mass flow controller upstream of it. They also provide for sampling and characterizing the aerosolized insecticide.
Method of assessing insecticide
The method uses the wind-tunnel system with an insect container having a gas-permeable sidewall, and directs gas through the chamber so that insecticide aerosol flows through the container.
Mosquito testing
Dependent claims specify that the insect container is configured to test mosquitoes or that the insects in the container are mosquitoes.
The independent claims cover the filtered wind-tunnel system and its use to assess insecticide by directing insecticide aerosol through an insect container. The dependent claims further specify container mounting, airflow-control components, aerosol characterization, and mosquito testing.
Stated Advantages
The compact laboratory system is presented as a lower-burden alternative to field trials for assessing efficacy in mosquito-control programs.
Documented Applications
Assessing insecticide formulated-product efficacy, including efficacy assessment for mosquito-control programs.
Testing mosquitoes in an insect container using insecticide aerosol.
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