Nozzle device and nozzle for atomisation and/or filtration and methods for using the same

Abstract

Nozzle device and nozzle for atomization and/or filtration as well as methods for using the same. The nozzle and nozzle device for atomization, in particular a micro-machined reinforced nozzle plate, may produce small liquid droplets in air (spray) or into a liquid (emulsion) with a narrow droplet size distribution and make small air bubbles into a liquid (foam). A nozzle part for filtration as well as elements and methods to facilitate atomization and filtration are also disclosed.

1 . Filtration means for filtration of a fluid, comprising a functional plate which is provided at a first main surface of a support body, the functional plate comprising at least one orifice and the support body comprising a cavity in fluid communication with said at least one orifice, wherein said functional plate has a thickness of less than 2 micron at the area of said cavity and wherein said at least one orifice in said functional plate has a length which is less than six times a diameter thereof, and in particular is shorter than said diameter. 
     
     
         2 . The filtration means according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one orifice in said functional plate has a diameter between 0.4 and 10 micron. 
     
     
         3 . The filtration means according to  claim 1  wherein said functional plate comprises a number of orifices which share said cavity in common and are jointly in fluid communication with said cavity. 
     
     
         4 . The filtration means according to  claim 3 , wherein said orifices are arranged closely together into a group of orifices. 
     
     
         5 . The filtration means according to  claim 3  wherein said functional plate comprises a zone along a boundary of said cavity which is at least substantially free of any orifice and has a width which is at least a number of times as large as a thickness of said functional plate. 
     
     
         6 . The filtration means according to  claim 3  wherein a mutual spacing between an orifice and an adjacent orifice is between three and thirty times a diameter of said orifices. 
     
     
         7 . The filtration means according to  claim 1  wherein said functional plate comprises a number of substantially identical orifices which are spaced apart over a mutual distance which is between 3 and 30 times, particularly between 3 and 10 times, their diameter. 
     
     
         8 . The filtration means according to  claim 1 , wherein said functional plate has a bare surface and wherein said orifice protrudes slightly out of said bare surface of said functional plate. 
     
     
         9 . The filtration means according to  claim 1  wherein, at said main surface, said cavity has a cross-section with a width of less than 250 micron, particularly less than 100 micron. 
     
     
         10 . The filtration means according to  claim 9  wherein said cross-section has a length of more than 300 micron. 
     
     
         11 . The filtration means according to  claim 1 , wherein said support body comprises a silicon substrate and wherein said functional plate comprises a separate layer provided on said substrate. 
     
     
         12 . The filtration means according to  claim 11  wherein said functional plate comprises a rigid, chemically inert layer with a high fracture stress, particularly a silicon nitride layer or a silicon carbide layer. 
     
     
         13 . The filtration means according to  claim 11 , wherein said silicon substrate is formed from a <110> silicon wafer. 
     
     
         14 . The filtration means according to  claim 1 , wherein a glass substrate is bonded to said functional plate and wherein said glass substrate comprises at least one flow channel which is in open communication with said cavity in said support body supporting said functional plate. 
     
     
         15 . The filtration means according to  claim 1  wherein said support body is suspended in a ring shaped support frame which is adapted to respective dimensions of a commercially available filter holder. 
     
     
         16 . The filtration means according to  claim 15 , wherein said functional plate is countersunk to a depth of between 10 and 500 micron in the ring shaped support frame. 
     
     
         17 . The filtration means according to  claim 1 , wherein an optic transparent cover plate is placed over the functional plate and wherein a flow channel with a depth of 50 to 500 micron is present between the functional plate and the cover plate. 
     
     
         18 . The filtration means according to  claim 1 , wherein the functional plate is provided with an immune binding or Elisa coupling agent. 
     
     
         19 . The filtration means according to  claim 1 , wherein functional plate is provided with a metallic layer facilitating optic non-transparency, non quenching, electrolysis or electric heating applications. 
     
     
         20 . The filtration means according to  claim 1 , wherein said cavity exposes at least substantially an entire active portion of said functional plate for enabling full microscopic observation. 
     
     
         21 . A method of filtering beer or milk by using the filtration means of the type according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         22 . A method of foaming or emulsifying a first fluid by using a functional plate which is provided at a first main surface of a support body, the functional plate comprising at least one orifice in fluid communication with a cavity in said support body, wherein said functional plate has a thickness of less than 2 micron at the area of said cavity in said support body, wherein said at least one orifice in said functional plate has a length which is less than six times a diameter thereof, and in particular is shorter than said diameter, and wherein the functional plate is brought into contact with a second fluid. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein said functional plate is moved tangentially and/or orthogonally with respect to said second fluid in contact with the functional plate. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein a double emulsions is formed by using said functional plate.