An insulating cover for a central heating system filter is provided in two parts. The insulating cover may be made from, for example, expanded polypropylene foam. The cover may include magnets for attracting and retaining magnetic debris within the filter. The cover may include a leadscrew arrangement to assist with removal of the cover from the filter for servicing.

A method for performing a magnetic separation procedure that includes transporting a receptacle containing a fluid medium to a first location of a system, where the fluid medium contains both a sample material and a suspension of magnetically-responsive solid supports. At the first location, the fluid medium is exposed to a first magnetic field for a first dwell period, thereby isolating the solid supports within the receptacle, where no portion of the fluid medium is removed from the receptacle at the first location. The receptacle is then transported from the first location to a second location of the system, where the fluid medium is exposed to a second magnetic field for a second dwell period. Following the second dwell period, at least a portion of the fluid medium is removed from the receptacle. A suspension fluid is then dispensed into the receptacle, and the contents of the receptacle are agitated to suspend the solid supports within the suspension fluid.

Methods are provided for separating magnetically responsive beads from a droplet in a droplet actuator. Droplet operations electrodes and a magnet are arranged in a droplet actuator to manipulate a bead-containing droplet and position it relative to a magnetic field region that attracts the magnetically responsive beads. The droplet operations electrodes are operated to control the droplet shape and transport it away from the magnetic field region to form a concentration of beads in the droplet. The continued transport of the droplet away from the magnetic field causes the concentration of beads to break away from the droplet to yield a small, concentrated bead-containing droplet immobilized by the magnet.

A magnetic rod guide for a filter comprises a base for attachment to part of a filter, a through aperture through which a magnetic rod can move, and resilient engagement means including at least one resilient latch for holding the magnetic rod in one or more fixed positions relative to the guide, the or each resilient latch further being adapted to allow movement of a magnetic rod through the through aperture in either direction, for insertion into the filter or withdrawal from the filter into one of the fixed positions.

A magnetic filter for a central heating system is disclosed, the filter including a separation chamber, a magnet for capturing magnetic particles within the separation chamber, an inlet for fluidly connecting to a central heating system circuit, an outlet for fluidly connecting to a central heating system circuit, and a single valve operable to select between at least two positions, the valve in a first position fluidly connecting the inlet to the separation chamber and fluidly connecting the outlet to the separation chamber and the valve in a second position isolating both the inlet and the outlet from the separation chamber.

The present invention provides a magnetic sorting microfluidic chip, including a substrate, a chip model material layer, a micro-channel unit and a magnetic sorting unit, where the chip model material layer is disposed on the substrate, and the micro-channel unit and the magnetic sorting unit are both disposed in the chip model material layer; the micro-channel unit includes a sorting channel and magnetic pole channels; the sorting channel is provided with a plurality of sorting channel inlets and a plurality of sorting channel outlets; and the magnetic sorting unit includes permanent magnets, high-permeability alloys, and magnetic pole arrays disposed in the magnetic pole channels, where the high-permeability alloys are configured to conduct magnetic fields of the permanent magnets to the magnetic pole arrays, so that the magnetic pole arrays generate magnetic fields having opposite polarities on left and right positions of the sorting channel.

A cell purification module, configured to purify multiple cells from a fluid sample is provided. The cell purification module includes a hollow column, multiple hollow fiber membranes, at least one first magnetic component, a fluid sample inlet end, and a fluid sample outlet end. The hollow column has a first opening, a second opening, and an accommodating space connecting the first opening and the second opening. The hollow fiber membranes are disposed in the accommodating space and each hollow fiber membrane has multiple pores. The first magnetic component is disposed at a periphery of the hollow column. The fluid sample inlet end and the fluid sample outlet end are respectively disposed at two ends of the hollow column. The hollow fiber membranes extend in an axial direction of the hollow column, and are arranged in a radial direction of the hollow column. A cell purification system is also provided.

Devices and methods for immunomagnetic separation having a flexible inflatable processing chamber and magnetic array.

An automatic analysis apparatus and an operating method for the automatic analysis apparatus. At least two magnetic separation units are introduced, each magnetic separation unit operating independently and being used for performing magnetic separation cleaning on a reaction solution in a reaction cup. Each magnetic separation unit may be used for any magnetic separation cleaning step in a one-step test project or a multi-step test project, thereby significantly increasing the test speed and the test throughput of the automatic analysis apparatus.

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.