Claims
- 1. A method for freezing a liquid comprising transforming said liquid into very small drops, rapidly driving said very small drops directly onto a refrigerant which is at least partially solidified, and collecting the frozen liquid.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least partially solidified state of said refrigerant is achieved by evaporative cooling in a vacuum chamber.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said refrigerant is solid.
- 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said solid refrigerant is undergoing sublimation.
- 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said transformation into very small drops is accomplished by a nebulizer.
- 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said transformation into very small drops is accomplished by a flow cytometer.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said refrigerant is a slush comprising a mixture of solid and liquid.
- 8. The method of claim 7 wherein said solid and liquid are the same element or compound.
- 9. The method of claim 7 wherein said solid and liquid are different elements or compounds.
- 10. A method for preserving a sample suspension of biological material comprising transforming said sample suspension into very small drops, rapidly driving said very small drops directly onto a refrigerant which is at least partially solidified, and collecting the frozen sample.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein transforming the sample suspension into very small drops is accomplished by a nebulizer.
- 12. The method of claim 10 wherein transforming the sample suspension into very small drops is accomplished by a flow cytometer.
- 13. The method of claim 10 wherein said refrigerant is a solid.
- 14. The method of claim 10 wherein said refrigerant is a slush comprising a mixture of solid and liquid.
- 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said solid and liquid are the same element or compound.
- 16. The method of claim 14 wherein said solid and liquid are different elements or compounds.
- 17. The method of claim 10 wherein the refrigerant is inert and nonreactive.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the inert and nonreactive refrigerant is a noble gas.
- 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the noble gas is argon.
- 20. The method of claim 17, wherein said inert and nonreactive refrigerant is nitrogen.
- 21. The method of claim 20 wherein said nitrogen is a slush and is achieved by placing liquid nitrogen under a partial vacuum.
- 22. The method of claim 10 wherein the refrigerant is solid carbon dioxide.
- 23. The method of claim 10 wherein the refrigerant comprises a primary and secondary refrigerant, wherein the secondary refrigerant is held at a temperature below the freezing point of the primary refrigerant, said secondary refrigerant achieving the solid or slushed state of the primary refrigerant through thermal contact with the primary refrigerant.
- 24. The method of claim 23 wherein said primary refrigerant is argon and said secondary refrigerant is nitrogen.
- 25. The method of claim 10 wherein a cryopreservative is added to the sample prior to the step of driving the sample onto refrigerant.
- 26. The method of clam 10 wherein said refrigerant is oxygen or hydrogen.
- 27. The method of claim 10 wherein said refrigerant is organic.
- 28. The method of claim 27 wherein said organic refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of liquid carbon dioxide, propane, butene, ethane, Freon, and ethanol.
- 29. The method of claim 10 wherein said refrigerant is mercury or lead.
- 30. The method of claim 10 wherein said refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of helium, neon, nitrogen, argon, krypton, and xenon.
- 31. A method of stopping a liquid chemical or biological reaction comprising rapidly cooling the reaction mixture such that the chemical or biological activity stops; wherein said cooling is achieved by transforming the reaction mixture into very small drops, driving the very small drops directly onto a refrigerant which is at least partially solidified, and collecting the cooled reaction mixture.
- 32. The method of claim 31 wherein a nebulizer is used to achieve the very small drops of liquid reaction mixture.
- 33. The method of claim 31 wherein a flow cytometer is used to achieve the very small drops of liquid reaction mixture.
- 34. A method for lyophilizing a suspension of compounds or compositions while retaining structural integrity comprising:(a) rapidly driving the suspension directly onto a refrigerant to freeze the suspension, wherein said refrigerant is at least partially solidified; (b) collecting the frozen suspension; and (c) drying the frozen suspension.
- 35. The method of claim 34 further comprising the step of transforming the suspension into very small drops prior to the step of driving the suspension onto the refrigerant.
- 36. An apparatus for freezing a sample suspension, including biological samples, comprising a means for rapidly driving the sample suspension through an outlet, and a container for refrigerant positioned such that the outlet delivers the sample directly onto the refrigerant and the refrigerant is at least partially solidified.
- 37. The apparatus of claim 36 further comprising a means for transforming the sample suspension into very small drops.
- 38. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said refrigerant is solid.
- 39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said refrigerant is a slush comprising a mixture of solid and liquid.
- 40. An apparatus for freezing a suspension of biological material comprising a flow cytometer positioned over a container holding refrigerant, wherein when activated, the flow cytometer transports the suspension of biological material directly onto the refrigerant.
- 41. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said refrigerant is solid.
- 42. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein said refrigerant is a slush comprising a mixture of solid and liquid.
- 43. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising a container containing the suspension of biological material, said container communicatively coupled to the flow cytometer.
- 44. An apparatus for freezing a suspension of biological material comprising a nebulizer and a container holding refrigerant, wherein when activated, the nebulizer transports the suspension of biological material directly onto the refrigerant, wherein said refrigerant is at least partially solidified.
- 45. The apparatus of claim 44 further comprising a container containing the suspension of biological material, said container communicatively coupled to the nebulizer.
- 46. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein said container holding refrigerant comprises a container holding a primary and a secondary refrigerant, wherein the secondary refrigerant is held at a temperature below the freezing point of the primary refrigerant, said secondary refrigerant achieving at least a partially solidified state of the primary refrigerant through thermal contact; wherein the nebulizer transports the suspension of biological material directly onto the primary refrigerant.
- 47. The apparatus of claim 46 comprising separate containers for the primary and secondary refrigerant, wherein said container of secondary refrigerant is in thermal contact with the primary refrigerant, said secondary refrigerant causing said primary refrigerant to achieve at least a partially solidified state.
- 48. An apparatus for preserving a sample suspension comprising:(a) a sample chamber communicatively coupled to a nebulizer; (b) a container holding refrigerant which is at least partially solidified; and (c) a sample outlet; wherein said nebulizer, when activated, transports the liquid sample from the sample chamber through the sample outlet directly onto the refrigerant.
- 49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the sample chamber has openings for regulating the speed of the sample exiting the sample chamber through the sample outlet.
- 50. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the sample chamber is associated with a fan for regulating the speed of the sample exiting the sample chamber through the sample outlet.
- 51. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein said at least partially solidified refrigerant is achieved through a primary refrigerant in a container which is in thermal contact with a secondary refrigerant held at a temperature below the freezing point of the primary refrigerant, causing the primary refrigerant to achieve at least a partially solidified state, wherein the nebulized sample directly contacts the primary refrigerant.
- 52. An apparatus for freezing a sample suspension, including biological samples, comprising a means for transforming the sample suspension into very small drops, means for creating a saturated or humidified gas medium flowing onto refrigerant which is at least partially solidified, means for rapidly driving the very small drops of sample suspension; within the gas medium, through an outlet, and a container for the refrigerant, wherein the sample outlet delivers the sample directly onto the refrigerant.
- 53. An apparatus for freezing a sample suspension, including biological samples, comprising a means for transforming the sample suspension into very small drops, means for rapidly driving the very small drops of sample suspension, through an outlet, and a container for the refrigerant, wherein the sample outlet delivers the sample directly onto the refrigerant, wherein said means for rapidly driving the very small drops of sample suspension through an outlet comprises a nebulizer attached to a sample delivery means, and wherein said container for refrigerant comprises a hollow sphere for holding primary refrigerant, with an opening for inserting said nebulizer, said sphere positioned within a container for secondary refrigerant such that the sphere is at least partially submerged in the secondary refrigerant.
- 54. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising:(a) a rotating drum filled with liquid secondary refrigerant, said drum positioned inside a housing half-filled with liquid primary refrigerant such that said drum is partially submerged in the primary refrigerant; and (b) one or more nebulizers positioned over the exposed surface of the drum; wherein in use, as the drum rotates, the secondary refrigerant inside causes a layer of frozen primary refrigerant to form on the exposed surface, and sample is sprayed from said nebulizers onto frozen primary refrigerant on the surface of the drum, as the drum rotates, the frozen sample floats off into the liquid primary refrigerant.
- 55. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising:(a) a housing with a sloped upper surface comprising grooves, the end walls of the grooves having openings connected to a pipe at the upper end, and to a trough at the lower end, said housing being hollow with inlet and outlet ports for circulating liquid secondary refrigerant through the housing; and (b) multiple nebulizers, one positioned over each groove; wherein liquid primary refrigerant is transported from the pipe through the openings, down the grooves where it freezes due to the liquid secondary refrigerant circulating through the housing, and sample is sprayed onto the frozen primary refrigerant in the grooves, causing the refrigerant to melt and flow into the trough.
- 56. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising:(a) a housing, said housing divided into first and second sections, the first section filled with liquid secondary refrigerant, and the second section partially filled with liquid primary refrigerant; (b) a rotating metal disk positioned half in the first section and half in the second section such that the disk is in contact with both the primary and secondary refrigerants, said secondary refrigerant cooling the metal disk causing a layer of frozen primary refrigerant to form on the exposed surface of the disk; and (c) one or more nebulizers positioned in the second housing section containing primary refrigerant such that sample is sprayed from the nebulizers onto the frozen primary refrigerant coating the exposed portion of the disk.
- 57. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising:(a) a vertical cylindrical pipe within a larger cylindrical container, said container comprising a lower section filled with liquid secondary refrigerant and an upper section, said pipe positioned such that a top opening of the pipe is in the upper section of the cylindrical container and a bottom opening of the pipe is below the lower section of the cylindrical container; (b) insulation surrounding the cylindrical container; (c) a conduit connected to the lower section of the cylindrical container, said conduit transporting the liquid secondary refrigerant; and (d) a nebulizer positioned over the top opening in the pipe; wherein liquid primary refrigerant is forced under pressure up into the pipe where it freezes as it passes through the lower section of the cylindrical container filled with secondary refrigerant, and said frozen primary refrigerant is extruded out of the top opening of the pipe, said sample is sprayed onto the extruded primary refrigerant.
- 58. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising a centrifuge with paddles holding solid primary refrigerant connected to the rotor, and one or more nebulizers positioned in the walls of the centrifuge such that sample delivered to the nebulizers is sprayed onto the solid refrigerant as the rotor turns.
- 59. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising a column attached to a rotating head comprising multiple horizontal nebulizers positioned over a cylindrical container, the walls of which are coated with solid refrigerant; sample is delivered to the nebulizers through the column and sprayed onto the solid refrigerant coating the walls of the container as the head rotates.
- 60. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising:(a) a housing filled with liquid secondary refrigerant; (b) one or more hollow rotating cylinders positioned such that they are submerged in the liquid secondary refrigerant; (c) inlet tubes for sample transfer connected to respective cylinders; (d) nebulizers positioned on said inlet tubes inside the cylinders to deliver sample to the inside walls of the cylinders; wherein liquid primary refrigerant is placed inside the cylinders, and as the cylinders rotate, the primary refrigerant freezes on the walls; sample sprayed onto the cylinder wall freezes and drops into the remaining liquid refrigerant at the bottom of the rotating cylinder.
- 61. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising a rotating cylindrical receptacle with solid refrigerant coating the inner walls, and a sample delivery tube with an injection aperture at the end; wherein said delivery tube is positioned such that the injection aperture is in close proximity to the solid refrigerant coating the receptacle walls.
- 62. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising:(a) a receptacle holding slushed refrigerant; (b) a cylinder with small injection apertures located at one end, positioned in the receptacle such that the injection apertures are submerged in the slushed refrigerant; wherein pressurized sample is delivered through the injection apertures in the cylinder into the slushed refrigerant.
- 63. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising:(a) a receptacle holding slushed refrigerant, said receptacle having small injection apertures in the bottom; and (b) an injection apparatus connected to the bottom of said receptacle, said injection apparatus comprising nebulizer jets; wherein sample is injected into the slushed refrigerant in the receptacle by means of said nebulizer jets.
- 64. An apparatus for freezing a liquid sample, including biological samples, comprising a container for refrigerant positioned inside a vacuum chamber, said vacuum chamber having a nebulizer connected thereto, wherein the nebulizer is positioned over the container for refrigerant.
Parent Case Info
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/089,683, filed Jun. 17, 1998, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/US98/25365 |
|
WO |
00 |
Publishing Document |
Publishing Date |
Country |
Kind |
WO99/66271 |
12/23/1999 |
WO |
A |
US Referenced Citations (8)
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/089683 |
Jun 1998 |
US |