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--- start:projects:hydrostatic [2011/07/28 14:57]
jjanuszkiewicz
+++ start:projects:hydrostatic [2011/07/28 15:18] (current)
jjanuszkiewicz
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-In tissue engineering, it is often desirable to be able to cyclically load cell cultures under hydrostatic pressure. To fulfill this task, researchers at Mount Sinai Medical Center have designed and built a hydrostatic pressure loader out of entirely off-the-shelf parts. While this device works quite well, it has the limitation of requiring an Instron tester to actuate it. Our goal at Cooper Union is to design a new method of achieving similar loading conditions without being tethered to expensive Instron equipment.
+In tissue engineering, it is often desirable to be able to cyclically load cell cultures under hydrostatic pressure. To fulfill this task, researchers at Mount Sinai Medical Center have designed and built a hydrostatic pressure loader mostly out of off-the-shelf parts. While this device works quite well, it has the limitation of requiring an Instron tester to actuate it. Our goal at Cooper Union is to design a new method of achieving similar loading conditions without being tethered to expensive Instron equipment.
 =====Summary of Construction and Use=====
-The setup consists of the pressure vessel itself, a piston, and an incubator. In the current setup, the piston is mounted on an Instron mechanical tester. A Teflon hose braided with stainless steel runs from the piston to the pressure vessel to transfer pressure. There is also a valve at the base of the pressure vessel which can be opened to release water from the system if there is either excess water or if the water is being replaced entirely. Warm water is loaded into the vessel from the top. A ball valve at the top of the pressure vessel is used to close it when testing is in process. An acrylic incubating chamber surrounds the pressure vessel and contains heating elements to ensure that test samples remain at body temperature.
+The setup consists of the pressure vessel itself, a piston, and an incubator. In the current setup, the piston is mounted on an Instron mechanical tester. A Teflon hose braided with stainless steel runs from the piston to the pressure vessel to transfer pressure. There is also a valve at the base of the pressure vessel which can be opened to release water from the system if there is either excess water or if the water is being replaced entirely. Warm water is loaded into the vessel from the top. A ball valve at the top of the pressure vessel is used to close the vessel when testing is in process. An acrylic incubating chamber surrounds the pressure vessel and contains heating elements to ensure that test samples remain at body temperature.
-A thermocouple inside the incubator is connected to a process controller to regulate the temperature, and a pressure sensor at the base of the pressure vessel is connected to a process meter to give a pressure reading. Since the Instron mechanical tester measures loads, the pressure in the pressure vessel is controlled indirectly by varying the load.
+A thermocouple inside the incubator is connected to a process controller to regulate the temperature, and a pressure sensor at the base of the pressure vessel is connected to a process meter to give a pressure reading. Since the Instron mechanical tester measures loads, not pressure, the pressure in the pressure vessel is controlled indirectly by varying the load.
 | {{:start:projects:dsc00568.jpg?500|}}\\ Thermocouple controller (left) and pressure meter (right). | {{:start:projects:dsc00559.jpg?300|}}\\ Instron control panel. |