A microfluidic device includes at least one substrate formed of one or more silicon wafers. The substrate includes an inlet for receiving a continuous phase fluid; an inlet for receiving a dispersed phase fluid; and a plurality of channels. The plurality of channels are in fluid communication with both the inlet of the continuous phase fluid and the inlet of the dispersed phase fluid. The substrate further includes a plurality of droplet generators configured to produce microdroplets. Each of the droplet generators are in fluid communication with the plurality of channels. Additionally, the substrate includes one or more outlets for delivery of the microdroplets. The number of the plurality of droplet generators is more than two greater than a number of the one or more outlets for delivery of the microdroplets.

The present invention relates to fluidic devices, especially microfluidic devices, for aliquoting and pairwise combinatorial mixing of a first set of liquids with a second set of liquids. The device architecture is designed to move liquids in two separate phases, a first phase where the liquids are exposed to a first directional force field to move the liquids in a first direction, from a reservoir to aliquot chambers, and a second phase where the liquids are exposed to a second directional force field to move the liquids in a second direction, from the aliquot chambers to the mixing chambers. The first and second directional force fields that the device is exposed to may be achieved using a single directional force field (i.e. a rotor driven centrifugal force field) and by re-orienting the position of the device with respect to the centrifugal forces between the first and second phases of operation. The device architecture comprises reservoirs for each of the first fluids and reservoirs for each of the second fluids. Each reservoir is fluidically connected to aliquoting chambers, either arranged in parallel or in series, for providing aliquots of the fluid which may be metered. The conduits providing fluid communication between the reservoirs and aliquoting chambers are arranged in a first direction. A series of mixing chambers is also provided, and each mixing chamber is fluidically connected to one aliquot chamber for a first liquid and one aliquoting chamber for a second liquid. The conduits providing fluid communication between the aliquoting chambers and mixing chambers are arranged in a second direction.

The present disclosure relates to a milk-of-lime preparation apparatus and preparation method having waste heat recovery line, that may recover waste heat generated during preparation of liquid milk-of-lime and deliver the recovered waste heat to water, so as to supply the water at an optimal temperature necessary for a hydration reaction, thereby increasing the reaction efficiency and reducing the preparation time of the milk-of-lime. Especially, the milk-of-lime preparation apparatus consists of a water tank that receives room temperature water from a water supply pipe and stores the received water inside the water tank; a raw material input pipe that transfers calcine lime powder from one end to the other end through pressure supply from a BCT vehicle that carries the calcine lime powder; a water input pipe of which one end is connected with the water tank, and that receives the water stored inside the water tank and transfers the received water to the other end; a milk-of-lime tank that receives the water from the other end of the water input pipe, that receives the calcine lime powder from the other end of the raw material input pipe, and that stirs the received calcine lime powder and the water by means of a stirrer installed inside the milk-of-lime tank, to prepare and store milk-of-lime; a discharge pipe that is installed at one side of the milk-of-lime tank to discharge the milk-of-lime stored inside the milk-of-lime tank; and a waste heat recovery line that circulates the water such that the water stored inside the water tank exchanges heat with the milk-of-lime stored inside the milk-of-lime tank and then is stored back inside the water tank.

Provided herein are apparatuses and systems for mixing liquids and suspensions that include vessels with structures that improve mixing while not contacting liquid delivery components. The apparatuses and systems can include a motor drive that allows speed and directional control of rotation of the vessel. The apparatuses and systems can include one or more magnets for separating magnetic beads in a suspension. Also provided are methods using said apparatuses and systems for mixing and separation processes.

A laboratory device (4, 9), in particular a magnetic stirrer, comprises at least one adjustable operating parameter for controlling at least one laboratory device function, and an outer housing (2). The outer housing (2) has a coupling device (11a, 11b) for coupling the laboratory device (4, 9) to at least one further laboratory device (5, 9) for the same at least one laboratory device function, at which further laboratory device the at least one operating parameter can also be adjusted, and the coupling device (11a, 11b) is configured such that by means of the coupling device (11a, 11b) the laboratory device (4, 9) and the at least one further laboratory device (5, 9) can be operated simultaneously and by means of a common adjustment device the at least one operating parameter can be adjusted in a central manner independently and/or consistently for the laboratory device (4, 9) and the at least one further laboratory device (5, 9).

There is provided an inline saturator system and method for gas exchange with an aqueous-phase liquid. The system includes a pressure vessel, configured to receive a first liquid and a first gas from external sources and to discharge a second liquid and a second gas from the pressure vessel, and a gas infusion device situated within the pressure vessel. The gas infusion device is configured to receive the first liquid and first gas, to facilitate gas exchange therebetween, producing the second liquid and the second gas, and to discharge the second liquid and second gas into the pressure vessel. The system further includes a recirculation system configured to direct a portion of liquid within the pressure vessel back into the saturator device, where injection of the redirected liquid into the gas infusion device forces the first liquid into the gas infusion device for the gas exchange.

A system and method for pumping fluid using a set of interconnected pump cassettes is disclosed. Each of the pump cassettes can receive a first solution in a first pumping chamber and each of the pump cassettes can receive separate second solutions in respective second pumping chambers, so that the first solution can be mixed with the separate second solutions, each said mixture capable of being placed in separate containers. The system includes a control assembly for operating each pump cassette, each pump cassette having a flexible membrane to pump fluid into and out of the pumping chambers, and each pump cassette configured for mating with a base unit that provides positive or negative pneumatic pressure to the flexible membrane.

A vortex mixer may have a vortex mixing chamber having a first wall, a second wall, and a side wall connecting the first wall and the second wall. At least two inlet ports may be configured along the side wall, each inlet port having an inlet channel connected thereto. The at least two inlet ports may be approximately equally spaced around the vortex mixing chamber and configured tangentially to the vortex mixing chamber. An exit port may have an exit channel connected thereto. The exit port may be configured at a radial center of the second wall, and the exit channel may extend from the exit port and away from the vortex mixing chamber.

An apparatus, vortex generator assembly and method for automated cell lysis and nucleic acid purification and processing. The vortex generator assembly includes sample holder having a lysis well, at least one wash well, and an elution well. The vortex generator assembly also includes a sample holder cover having a plurality of vibration rods for creating a vortex in the wells of the sample holder. The apparatus includes motor operating a rotating cam to cause the vibration rods to vibrate and create the vortex in a well holding fluid and magnetic beads, wherein the vortexing speed is sufficient to overcome the magnetic attraction between the beads and disperse the beads in solution, to collect nucleic acids such as DNA.

A technique facilitates mixing of fluids for use in well treatment operations. According to an embodiment, a dry powder material, e.g. a friction reducer, may be thoroughly mixed into fluid or fluids associated with a well treatment operation. The powder material is combined with liquid, e.g. water, via a series of Venturi mixers arranged to thoroughly mix the materials. In some applications, the Venturi mixers are mounted on a modular unit which is readily moved to a desired wellsite. Additional modular units may be added to increase the amount of product being mixed according to the demands of a given well treatment operation, e.g. a hydraulic fracturing operation.