The invention provides an apparatus for generating mist, comprising: a container adapted to accommodate a liquid, the container comprising an inlet for receiving an incoming fluid stream into the container, and an outlet via which an outgoing fluid stream exits the container; at least one agitating means arranged in the container for agitating the accommodated liquid to generate droplets of the liquid; wherein the agitating means is arranged to be driven by the incoming fluid stream, such that the generated liquid droplets are caused by the incoming fluid stream to form the outgoing fluid stream, and subsequently, exit the container. The invention also provides a system for generating mist, comprising: a plurality of the above described apparatuses, comprising at least a first apparatus having a first inlet and a first outlet, and a second apparatus having a second inlet and a second outlet; wherein the first outlet is adapted to be connected with the second inlet to thereby allow fluid communication between the first apparatus and the second apparatus.

The present invention provides methods, systems and apparatus in which one fluid passes through an orifice or orifices and mixes with another fluid as it flows through a microchannel.

A static mixer device comprising a housing having a proximal end, a distal end, and an opening extending between the proximal and distal ends. In certain embodiments, a plurality of metal frits is positioned within the opening of the housing, each of the metal frits extending across a cross-sectional dimension of the opening and having interconnected porosity. In other embodiments, one or more mixer elements fabricated using laser additive manufacturing technology and having novel configurations are positioned within the opening of the housing. In yet other embodiments, the housing comprises multiple openings having different diameters from each other, with each opening either extending through the housing with a constant diameter or with one or more of the openings having a varying diameter.

An insert assembly for a foam generating device includes a first insert and a second insert with a channel defined therethrough. Inserts may be formed by two shell halves that are coupleable to one another to define the channel. A plurality of ribs extends along an interior surface of the channel. The channel is configured to grip porous pad structures by the plurality of ribs for generating foam by breaking-up the cleaning solution and agitating. The ribs may be arranged horizontally relative to a longitudinal axis of the insert assembly. Inserts may be arranged in series along a longitudinal axis of the foam generating device.

Provided are: [1] a foaming method including: a step (X) of mixing a foamable composition containing a foaming agent (A) having a time required for a reduction in dynamic surface tension thereof to start of 60,000 ms or less, which is measured by a maximum bubble pressure method, and an organic solvent (B), and a gas, and foaming the composition; and a step (Y) of reducing the size of foam with a porous body; and [2] an article including: a foam discharge container; and a foamable composition in the foam discharge container, wherein the foamable composition contains a foaming agent (A) having a time required for a reduction in dynamic surface tension thereof to start of 60,000 ms or less, which is measured by a maximum bubble pressure method, and an organic solvent (B), and wherein the foam discharge mechanism of the foam discharge container includes a porous body.

A device or system includes a mixer comprising a three-dimensional lattice defining a plurality of tortuous, interconnecting passages therethrough. The mixer is in communication with sources or streams of at least two separate components which, when mixed, form a combined fluid stream. The sources or streams may be, at least initially, on opposite sides of the mixer, or the sources or streams may be on the upstream side of the mixer with an outlet disposed downstream of the mixer. A related method may include providing a mixer comprising a three-dimensional lattice defining a plurality of tortuous, interconnecting passages therethrough, and selecting a material for the mixer based on physical characteristics of said material, said characteristics including a selected one or more of mean flow pore size, thickness and porosity volume.

This disclosure provides for devices, methods, and systems for generating a plurality of droplets within a collecting container at an extremely high rate (e.g., of at least 1 million droplets per minute, etc.), each of the plurality of droplets comprising an aqueous mixture for a digital analysis, wherein upon generation, the plurality of droplets is stabilized in position within a region of the collecting container. The inventions enable partitioning of samples for digital analyses at unprecedented rates, where readout of signals from targets within such partitions can still be achieved in accordance with various assays.

Disclosed herein is a method for generating capsules with a solid matrix (7) as well as a capsule assembly comprising a plurality of capsules obtained by such a method. The method relies on temperature dependent step-emulsification of a droplet phase including a liquid hydrophobic matrix and a continuous aqueous phase.

This disclosure provides for devices, methods, and systems for generating a plurality of droplets within a collecting container at an extremely high rate (e.g., of at least 1 million droplets per minute, etc.), each of the plurality of droplets comprising an aqueous mixture for a digital analysis, wherein upon generation, the plurality of droplets is stabilized in position within a region of the collecting container. The inventions enable partitioning of samples for digital analyses at unprecedented rates, where readout of signals from targets within such partitions can still be achieved in accordance with various assays.

The present disclosure relates to a method for forming a transport mechanism for transporting at least one of a gas or a liquid. The method may comprise using a 3D printing operation to form the mechanism with an inlet and an outlet, and controlling the 3D printing operation to create the mechanism as an engineered surface structure formed in a layer-by-layer process. The method may further comprise controlling the 3D printing operation such that the engineered surface structure includes a plurality of cells propagating periodically in three dimensions, with non-intersecting, non-flat, continuously curving wall portions which form two non-intersecting domains, and where the wall portions have openings forming a plurality of flow paths extending in three orthogonal dimensions throughout from the inlet to the outlet, and such that the engineered surface structure has wall portions having a mean curvature other than zero.