Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B (대한기계학회논문집B)

The Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers (대한기계학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

A New Flow Control Technique for Handling Infinitesimal Flows Inside a Lab-On-a-Chip

랩온어칩 내부 미세유동제어를 위한 새로운 유동제어기법

  • 한수동 (포항공과대학교 대학원 기계공학과) ;
  • 김국배 (포항공과대학교 대학원 기계공학과) ;
  • 이상준 (포항공과대학교 기계공학과)
  • Published : 2006.02.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

A syringe pump or a device using high electric voltage has been used for controlling flows inside a LOC (lab-on-a-chip). Compared to LOC, however, these microfluidic devices are large and heavy that they are burdensome for a portable ${\mu}-TAS$ (micro total analysis system). In this study, a new flow control technique employing pressure regulators and pressure chambers was developed. This technique utilizes compressed air to control the micro-scale flow inside a LOC, instead of a mechanical actuator or an electric power supply. The pressure regulator controls the output air pressure by adjusting the variable resistor attached. We checked the feasibility of this system by measuring the flow rate inside a capillary tube of $100{\mu}m$ diameter in the Re numbers ranged from 0.5 to 50. In addition, the performance of this flow control system was compared with that of a conventional syringe pump. The developed flow control system was found to show superior performance, compared with the syringe pump. It maintains automatically the: air pressure inside a pressure chamber whether the flow inside the capillary tube is on or off. Since the flow rate is nearly proportional to the resistance, we can control flow in multiple microchannels precisely. However, the syringe pump shows large variation of flow rate when the fluid flow is blocked in the microchannel.

Keywords

References

  1. Figeys, D., Pinto, D. and Kuschel, M., 2000, 'Lab-on-a-chip: A Revolution in Biological and Medical Sciences,' Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 72, pp. 3304- 3354
  2. Yun, K. S. and Yoon, E., 2004, 'Microfluidic Components and Bio-reactors for Miniaturized Biochip Applications,' Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engin eering, Vol. 9, pp. 86-92 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02932989
  3. Jing, C. and Larry, J. K., 2003, Biochip technology, Taylor & Francis, New York, pp. 1-10
  4. Weigl, B. H., Bardell, R. L. and Cabrera, C. R., 2003, 'Lab-on-a-chip for Drug Development,' Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews, Vol. 55, pp. 349-377 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-409X(02)00223-5
  5. Borgarti, M., Altomare, L., Baruffa, M., Fabbri, E., Breveglieri, G., Feriotto, G., Manaresi, N., Medoro, G., Romani, A., Tartagni, M., Gambari, R. and Guerrieri, R., 2005, 'Separation of White Blood Cells from Erythrocytes on a Dielectrophoresis (DEP) Based 'Lab-on-a-chip' Device,' International Journal of Molecular Medicine, Vol. 15, pp. 913-920
  6. Nyholm, L., 2005, 'Electrochemical Techniques for lab-on-a-chip Applications,' Analyst, Vol. 130, pp. 599 -605 https://doi.org/10.1039/b415004j
  7. Alekseyev, O. L., Bojko, Y. P. and Pavlova, L. A., 2003, 'Electroosmosis in Concentrated Colloids and the Structure of the Double Electric Layer,' Colloids and Sus/aces A-Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, Vol. 222, pp. 27-34 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0927-7757(03)00219-X
  8. Szymczyk, A., Fievet, P., Mullet, M., Reggiani, J. C. and Pagetti, J., 1998, 'Study of Electrokinetic Proper Ties of Plate Ceramic Membranes by Electroosmosis and Streaming Potential,' Desalination, Vol. 119, pp. 309-313 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0011-9164(98)00174-X
  9. Lee, J., Moon, H., Fowler, J., Schoellhammer, T. and Kim, C. J., 2002, 'Electrowetting and Electro Wetting-on-dielectric for Microscale Liquid Handling,' Sensors and Actuators A-Physical, Vol. 95, pp. 259- 268 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-4247(01)00734-8
  10. Meinhart, C. D., Wereley, S. T. and Santiago, J. G.,1999, 'PIV Measurements of a Microchannel Flow,' Experiments in Fluids, Vol. 27, pp. 414-419 https://doi.org/10.1007/s003480050366
  11. Xu, Y., Eijkel, J. C. T. and Manz, A., 2000, 'Advances of Miniaturized Total Chemical Analysis System and its Techniques,' Chemical Journal of Chinese Universities-Chinese, Vol. 21, pp. 1028-1034
  12. Ahn, J. J., Oh, J. G. and Choi, B., 2004, 'A Novel Type of a Microfluidic System Using Ferrofluids for an Application of Micro-TAS,' Microsystem Technolog ies-Micro-and Nanosystems-Information Storage and Processing Systems, Vol. 10, pp. 622-627 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-003-0340-9
  13. Dutta, D. and Leighton, D. T., 2001, 'Dispersion Reduction in Pressure Driven Flow Through Microetched Channels,' Analytical Chemistry, Vol. 73 pp.504-513 https://doi.org/10.1021/ac0008385