An automated apparatus for preparing a liquid bioprocess solution includes at least one mixing chamber having a lower port and an upper port for fluid to enter the at least one mixing chamber, an array of tubing for fluid flow within the system, a plurality of valves provided within the tubing, and a mixing controller configured to cause the automated apparatus to perform a series of sequential mixing steps causing the preparation of the liquid bioprocess solution from a dry ingredient. The series of sequential mixing steps include opening a first valve associated with the lower port to provide fluid to the at least one mixing chamber through the lower port, and after a predetermined amount of elapsed time, closing the first valve and opening a second valve associated with the upper port to provide fluid to the at least one mixing chamber through the upper port.

An automated bioprocess solution preparation apparatus includes a first mixing chamber containing at least one ingredient for a bioprocess solution, a first port and a second port for a fluid to enter the mixing chamber, and a third port for a liquid bioprocess solution to exit the mixing chamber. The apparatus further includes an array of tubing for fluid flow within the apparatus, a sensor arranged to measure a property of the liquid bioprocess solution exiting the mixing chamber, a first valve associated with the first port, and a second valve associated with the second port. When the property meets or exceeds a threshold value, the apparatus is operable to perform at least one of: closing the first valve to block the fluid from entering the mixing chamber through the first port, and opening the second valve for the fluid to enter the mixing chamber through the second port.

An automated method includes providing a dry ingredient to be reconstituted into a liquid bioprocess solution and controlling, by a processing circuit, all automated system including at least one mixing chamber, an array of tubing for fluid flow within the system, and a plurality of valves provided within the tubing, to automatically prepare the liquid bioprocess solution from the dry ingredient. Controlling the auto system may include performing a series of sequential mixing steps, the series of sequential mixing steps causing the preparation of the liquid bioprocess solution. The method mixing include taking one or more measurements during the preparation of the liquid bioprocess solution, wherein each step is triggered by at least one of a measurement decreasing below, equaling, or exceeding a measurement threshold. Each step may also include opening or closing, by the processing circuit, at least one of the plurality of valves.

The application relates to microfluidic apparatus and methods of use thereof. Provided in one example is a microfluidic device comprising: a first fluidic input and a second fluidic input; and a fluidic intersection channel to receive fluid from the first fluidic input and the second fluidic input, wherein the fluidic intersection channel opens into a first mixing chamber on an upper region of a first side of the first mixing chamber, wherein the first mixing chamber has a length, a width, and a depth, wherein the depth is greater than about 1.5 times a depth of the fluidic intersection channel; an outlet channel on an upper region of a second side of the first mixing chamber, wherein the outlet channel has a depth that is less than the depth of the first mixing chamber, and wherein an opening of the outlet channel is offset along a width of the second side of the first mixing chamber relative to the fluidic intersection.

The invention concerns a method and system for determining dissolution properties of a particle. The method comprises providing into a vessel dissolution medium capable of dissolving the particle and providing the particle into said vessel in contact with the dissolution medium for dissolving the particle. According to the invention, the particle is trapped in a particle trapping zone formed at a predetermined location in the vessel, the particle trapping zone being formed preferably at least partially by continuous hydrodynamic motion of the dissolution medium. Residue of the particle is imaged while being trapped in said particle trapping zone for providing a plurality of sequential images of the particle residue. Finally, at least one dissolution property of the particle is determined based on the sequential images. The invention allows for dissolution rate, intrinsic dissolution rate and/or solubility of matter to be reliably determined from very small sample amounts and without manual affixation of samples.

An artificial-whirlpool generator includes a whirlpool generating member including at least one water inlet, a whirlpool generating chamber communicating with the water inlet, and a whirlpool outlet that is formed at a lower end portion of the whirlpool generating member and communicates with the whirlpool generating chamber; a position-fixing means that fixes the whirlpool forming member such that the entirety of the whirlpool generating member or only a portion of the whirlpool generating member, including the whirlpool outlet is submerged; and a swirling flow forming unit that forces water in a waterbody to be introduced into the whirlpool generating chamber through the water inlet and rotates the introduced water in one direction around an axle provided at a center portion of the whirlpool generating chamber to form a whirlpool that descends toward the whirlpool outlet.

The application relates to microfluidic apparatus and methods of use thereof. Provided in one example is a microfluidic device comprising: a first fluidic input and a second fluidic input; and a fluidic intersection channel to receive fluid from the first fluidic input and the second fluidic input, wherein the fluidic intersection channel opens into a first mixing chamber on an upper region of a first side of the first mixing chamber, wherein the first mixing chamber has a length, a width, and a depth, wherein the depth is greater than about 1.5 times a depth of the fluidic intersection channel; an outlet channel on an upper region of a second side of the first mixing chamber, wherein the outlet channel has a depth that is less than the depth of the first mixing chamber, and wherein an opening of the outlet channel is offset along a width of the second side of the first mixing chamber relative to the fluidic intersection.

A fluid mixer for a reactor of a hydrocarbon processing plant includes a substantially cylindrical mixing chamber, at least one first inlet for conducting first fluid to the mixing chamber from above the mixing chamber and along a side wall of the mixing chamber to produce a spiral stream in the mixing chamber, at least one second inlet for conducting second fluid tangentially into the spiral stream, and an outlet channel for conducting the first and second fluids downwards out from the mixing chamber. The outlet channel is concentric to the mixing chamber and includes a mixing structure for enhancing mixing of the first and second fluids. At least a part of the mixing structure is located below an upper edge of the outlet channel and produces turbulence in a stream of the first and second fluids flowing in the outlet channel.

An automated bioprocess solution preparation apparatus includes a first mixing chamber containing at least one ingredient for a bioprocess solution, a first port and a second port for a fluid to enter the mixing chamber, and a third port for a liquid bioprocess solution to exit the mixing chamber. The apparatus further includes an array of tubing for fluid flow within the apparatus, a sensor arranged to measure a property of the liquid bioprocess solution exiting the mixing chamber, a first valve associated with the first port, and a second valve associated with the second port. When the property meets or exceeds a threshold value, the apparatus is operable to perform at least one of: closing the first valve to block the fluid from entering the mixing chamber through the first port, and opening the second valve for the fluid to enter the mixing chamber through the second port.