A potential therapy involves capsulation of healthy cells within microscopic protective gelatin capsules that can be injected into the body. When the cells that generate insulin in the body cease to function properly, diabetes results. A method for manufacturing these capsules from liquid gelatin containing the cells has been described. Calculate the limitations on production rate (capsules/s)? The capsule diameter must be in the range of 250 to 350 μm. The liquid gelatin is formed into drops that falls through a "hardening solution," which cross links the gelatin into a hard capsule. Explain what kind dripping method can be used to make these capsules? The liquid gelatin/cell slurry has a viscosity of 0.5 Pa *s, a density of 1100 kg/m^3, and a surface tension of .07N/m.
1. Explain what size capillary would you use and what types of problems do you foresee in using a capillary of this size in a commercial operation?
2. Calculate the maximum number of capsules per second that can be produced from a single capillary if the Weber number is to be below unity.