Two-stage apparatus and method for generating and concentrating fine particle aerosols
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Publication Number
US-9937303-B1
Publication Date
2018-04-10
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system and a method for generating a respirable dry powder aerosol (15) from a liquid solution or liquid suspension at a respirable dry powder aerosol volume flow (91). A liquid aerosol generating nozzle (3) generates from the liquid solution or liquid suspension a liquid aerosol (13) that is diluted by dilution gas (4) and dried in a cylindrical evaporation chamber (6) to generate a dry powder aerosol (14) that is subsequently concentrated by a cylindrical single linear slit aerosol concentrator (9). The system and method may include heliox as a gas, specifically dilution gas (4), for enhancing both the drying process in the cylindrical evaporation chamber (6) and for enhancing the concentration efficiency, but also as a nozzle gas (2) for enhancing generating the liquid aerosol (13) from the liquid solution or liquid suspension.
Core Innovation
The invention provides an aerosol generating system for generating a respirable dry powder aerosol from a liquid solution or a liquid suspension at a respirable dry powder aerosol volume flow. A liquid aerosol generating nozzle receives the liquid solution or liquid suspension and outputs a liquid aerosol suspended in nozzle gas, and the output connects to a cylindrical evaporation chamber that also receives dilution gas, such that the evaporation chamber outputs a first intermediate dry powder aerosol at a first intermediate dry powder aerosol volume flow and first intermediate dry powder aerosol particle concentration.
The system then concentrates the first intermediate dry powder aerosol using a cylindrical radial multi-slit aerosol concentrator having at least 3 slits extending from a position at or close to a center to a position more remote from the center. The concentrator outputs a second intermediate dry powder aerosol having a second intermediate dry powder aerosol volume flow lower than the first intermediate dry powder aerosol volume flow and a second intermediate dry powder aerosol particle concentration higher than the first intermediate dry powder aerosol particle concentration.
Further concentration is performed using a cylindrical single linear slit aerosol concentrator. The second intermediate dry powder aerosol feeds the input end of the single linear slit concentrator, which includes a converging cylindrical single linear slit aerosol concentrator input channel converging to an input orifice and an aerosol separation space, and the output orifice connects to a diverging output channel that outputs a respirable dry powder aerosol at a volume flow lower than the second intermediate dry powder aerosol volume flow with a higher particle concentration than the second intermediate dry powder aerosol particle concentration.
Claims Coverage
The partial content identifies two independent claims: an aerosol generating system and a method for generating a respirable dry powder aerosol. The claims are centered on a two-stage concentration approach using a cylindrical radial multi-slit aerosol concentrator followed by a cylindrical single linear slit aerosol concentrator, with initial liquid aerosol generation and drying in a cylindrical evaporation chamber. Three inventive features are identified across the independent claims.
Two-stage aerosol generation with cylindrical evaporation chamber
Generating a liquid aerosol in a liquid aerosol generating nozzle using nozzle gas, and evaporating or drying in a cylindrical evaporation chamber connected to the nozzle output end and receiving dilution gas to output a first intermediate dry powder aerosol at a first intermediate dry powder aerosol volume flow and a first intermediate dry powder aerosol particle concentration.
Radial multi-slit concentrator producing higher particle concentration at lower volume flow
Concentrating the first intermediate dry powder aerosol using a cylindrical radial multi-slit aerosol concentrator having at least 3 slits extending from at or close to a center to more remote from the center, with the concentrator outputting a second intermediate dry powder aerosol whose volume flow is lower than the first intermediate dry powder aerosol volume flow and whose particle concentration is higher than the first intermediate dry powder aerosol particle concentration.
Single linear slit concentrator with separation space to output respirable dry powder aerosol
Further concentrating the second intermediate dry powder aerosol using a cylindrical single linear slit aerosol concentrator with a converging input channel to an input orifice connected to an aerosol separation space that connects to an exhaust port and to an output orifice, and outputting a respirable dry powder aerosol at a volume flow lower than the second intermediate dry powder aerosol volume flow with a higher particle concentration than the second intermediate dry powder aerosol particle concentration.
The independent claims cover a respirable dry powder aerosol generating system and method that sequentially generate a liquid aerosol, dry it in a cylindrical evaporation chamber to form a first intermediate dry powder aerosol, concentrate it in a cylindrical radial multi-slit aerosol concentrator to produce a second intermediate dry powder aerosol with higher particle concentration at lower volume flow, and further concentrate it in a cylindrical single linear slit aerosol concentrator with an aerosol separation space to output a respirable dry powder aerosol with lower volume flow and higher particle concentration.
Stated Advantages
Improved particle concentration at a respirable dry powder aerosol output compared with intermediate dry powder aerosols.
Respirable dry powder aerosol output volume flow is lower than intermediate dry powder aerosol volume flow.
Heliox use is described as enhancing atomization and drying and improving concentration efficiency.
Documented examples describe reduced MMAD with heliox and improved output efficiency and mass output.
Documented Applications
Generation of a respirable dry powder aerosol containing a medically active agent.
Medication delivery by delivering a medication as solid particles in a dry powder aerosol under specified conditions.
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