Application Cases

Experiment Name: Experimental Study on the Application of Power Amplifier in a Microalgae Separation Chip for Ship Ballast Water

Experiment Objective: To achieve efficient, automatic, and continuous separation of microalgae cells from polystyrene microparticles of similar size.

Experimental Equipment: Signal generator, ATA-4012 high-voltage power amplifier, microscope and CCD, microfluidic syringe pump, separation chip, computer

Experimental Content:
Separation experiments were conducted using the separation system, including the movement of single-type particles in the separation chip, separation of two different sizes of particles, and separation of microalgae cells from microparticles. Finally, the separation function of the chip for microalgae cells was verified.

Experimental Procedure:

1. Construction of the Microalgae Separation System
   First, the microfluidic syringe pump delivered the mixed solution of cells and particles, along with the buffer solution, into the separation chip at a certain flow rate. Then, the signal generator and power amplifier transmitted the electrical signal into the separation chip through conductors (including wires, ITO conductive film, and microelectrodes). Finally, the movement changes of the particles and cells passing through the dielectrophoresis region were captured via the microscope and CCD and displayed on a computer.

   

   Figure: Connection Diagram of Separation System Components

   
   

2. Preparation of Dunaliella salina Cell and Polystyrene Microparticle Sample Solutions

   

   Figure: Dunaliella salina Cells and Polystyrene Microparticles              Figure: Dunaliella salina Cells

3. Analysis of AC Voltage Signal Amplitude and Frequency Parameters
   At a voltage amplitude of 15 V and a frequency of 1 MHz, a large number of Dunaliella salina cells and particles exhibited alignment and moved away from the electrodes. This phenomenon was very clear, indicating that this AC voltage amplitude and frequency are suitable for the separation of Dunaliella salina and microparticles.

   

   Figure: Dunaliella salina Cells and Microparticles at 15 V and 1 MHz

Experimental Results:

1. Movement of Dunaliella salina cells and polystyrene microparticles at different voltage amplitudes.

   
   

   Figure: Movement of Microparticles and Dunaliella salina at Different Voltages

2. An AC voltage amplitude of 18 V was identified as the optimal value for high-efficiency separation of Dunaliella salina cells and microparticles. The experiments demonstrated that the separation chip can effectively separate microalgae cells from ship ballast water.

   

   Figure: Experimental Results at Different Voltage Amplitudes

   

Figure: Specifications of the ATA-4012C High-Voltage Power Amplifier