An intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system and control method thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of microfluidics, and in particular to an intelligent constant-temperature microfluidic system and control method thereof, comprising a microprocessor, a microfluidic cartridge, a constant-temperature device, and an ambient temperature sensor; the microfluidic cartridge comprises an upper structural layer and a lower structural layer spaced apart, with a droplet flow channel formed between the upper structural layer and the lower structural layer; the droplet flow channel comprises a plurality of constant-temperature zones with different temperatures; the constant-temperature device corresponds one-to-one with the constant-temperature zones; the ambient temperature sensor is disposed on the periphery of the microfluidic cartridge and is used to obtain the working ambient temperature of the microfluidic cartridge; the microprocessor is respectively connected to the microfluidic cartridge, the constant-temperature device, and the ambient temperature sensor for signal communication. The present invention uses ambient temperature data transmitted back by the ambient temperature sensor to correct the temperature of the constant temperature zone, thereby achieving more precise temperature control and minimizing fluctuations.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of microfluidics, and in particular to an intelligent constant-temperature microfluidics system and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Digital microfluidics is a fluid control technology that uses individual droplets (nano- to micron-sized) as control units. This technology enables precise manipulation of droplet movement, enabling operations such as droplet generation, transport, fusion, and separation, and completing various biochemical reactions. Currently, one of the most commonly used methods for microdroplet manipulation is dielectric wetting. This involves applying a voltage to a control electrode to drive the liquid in a specified direction.

[0003] Electrowetting on dielectrics (EWOD) refers to a technology that manipulates the movement of droplets by adjusting the potential applied between liquid-solid electrodes to change the surface tension between the liquid and the solid, thereby changing the contact angle between the two.

[0004] Digital microfluidic chips offer advantages such as integration, automation, portability, and high efficiency, and are widely used in biology, chemistry, medicine, aerospace, military, environmental monitoring, and other fields. Compared to traditional methods, microfluidic chip (also known as "microfluidic cartridge") technology allows for more precise and reproducible analysis of enzyme activity and substrate concentration within smaller reactors.

[0005] Due to the widespread application of digital microfluidic chips, a large number of studies have emerged on chip structure design and precise droplet manipulation. In addition to the liquid volume and movement accuracy of the droplets, many application fields also need to pay attention to the temperature control of the chip so that the droplets can reach and maintain a constant target temperature. For example, the speed and efficiency of biochemical reactions are temperature-dependent, and the reaction temperature needs to be strictly controlled. Not only must the target temperature be reached quickly, but the required temperature must also be maintained during the reaction process, and the reaction temperature must remain constant over time.

[0006] Therefore, how to ensure that the reaction temperature inside the microfluidic cartridge is constant is an urgent problem to be solved by those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of the present invention is to provide an intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system and a control method thereof, so as to solve the problem of inaccurate temperature control of droplets inside a microfluidic cartridge in the prior art.

[0008] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides an intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system, comprising a microprocessor, a microfluidic cartridge, a constant temperature device and an ambient temperature sensor;

[0009] The microfluidic cartridge comprises an upper structural layer and a lower structural layer which are spaced apart, and a droplet flow channel is formed between the upper structural layer and the lower structural layer;

[0010] The droplet flow channel includes a plurality of constant temperature zones with different temperatures;

[0011] The constant temperature devices correspond to the constant temperature zones one by one;

[0012] The ambient temperature sensor is arranged at the periphery of the microfluidic cartridge and is used to obtain the working ambient temperature of the microfluidic cartridge;

[0013] The microprocessor is respectively connected to the microfluidic cartridge, the constant temperature device and the ambient temperature sensor signal.

[0014] Optionally, in the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system, the upper structural layer of the microfluidic cartridge includes, from top to bottom, an upper substrate and an upper hydrophobic layer; and the lower structural layer includes, from bottom to top, a lower substrate, a droplet driving array, a dielectric layer and a lower hydrophobic layer.

[0015] Optionally, in the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system, the constant temperature device is arranged on the outer surface of the upper structural layer and / or the lower structural layer.

[0016] Optionally, in the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system, the constant temperature device includes at least one of a Peltier device, a hot and cold water device, and a resistance heating and air cooling device.

[0017] Optionally, in the intelligent constant-temperature microfluidic system, the ambient temperature sensor is arranged outside the microfluidic cartridge and inside a device corresponding to the microfluidic cartridge.

[0018] A control method for the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system as described in any one of the above, comprising:

[0019] Acquire initial temperature data of the constant temperature zone from the constant temperature device, and collect ambient temperature data from the ambient temperature sensor;

[0020] determining a correction coefficient according to the ambient temperature data;

[0021] Determining the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone according to the correction coefficient and the initial temperature data of the constant temperature zone;

[0022] The power information of the corresponding constant temperature device is determined according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone.

[0023] Optionally, in the control method of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system, determining the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone includes:

[0024] Determining whether the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone is within a preset fine-tuning temperature range;

[0025] When the constant temperature zone corrected temperature data is within the fine-tuning temperature range, calculating the PID value corresponding to the constant temperature zone corrected temperature data;

[0026] Determine whether the PID value is greater than the preset PID max value;

[0027] When the PID value is greater than the preset PID max When the value is set, the anti-integral saturation method is used to determine the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone.

[0028] Optionally, in the control method of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system, determining the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone includes:

[0029] Determining whether the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone is within a preset fine-tuning temperature range;

[0030] When the constant temperature zone corrected temperature data is within the fine-tuning temperature range, calculating the PID change rate corresponding to the constant temperature zone corrected temperature data;

[0031] Determine whether the PID change rate is greater than a preset maximum change rate;

[0032] When the PID change rate is greater than the maximum change rate, the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device is determined according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone using an anti-integral separation method.

[0033] The intelligent constant-temperature microfluidic system provided by the present invention includes a microprocessor, a microfluidic cartridge, a constant temperature device and an ambient temperature sensor; the microfluidic cartridge includes an upper structural layer and a lower structural layer arranged at intervals, and a droplet flow channel is formed between the upper structural layer and the lower structural layer; the droplet flow channel includes a plurality of constant temperature zones with different temperatures; the constant temperature device corresponds one-to-one with the constant temperature zones; the ambient temperature sensor is arranged on the periphery of the microfluidic cartridge for obtaining the working environment temperature of the microfluidic cartridge; the microprocessor is respectively connected to the microfluidic cartridge, the constant temperature device and the ambient temperature sensor for signal.

[0034] The corresponding areas of the microfluidic cartridge of the present invention are provided with a constant temperature device, through which the temperature of each constant temperature zone in the microfluidic cartridge is precisely controlled. At the same time, considering that the process of maintaining a constant temperature is a process of continuously obtaining the temperature of the constant temperature zone and continuously adjusting the temperature by increasing or decreasing the temperature, the present invention also takes into account the ambient temperature, which has a greater impact on the temperature of the constant temperature zone, and adds an ambient temperature sensor disposed on the outside of the microfluidic cartridge. The ambient temperature data returned by the ambient temperature sensor is used to correct the temperature of the constant temperature zone, ultimately obtaining a constant temperature device control method with more precise temperature control and smaller temperature fluctuation amplitude, thereby achieving a more precise constant temperature effect. The present invention also provides a control method for an intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system having the above-mentioned beneficial effects. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions of the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0036] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a specific embodiment of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system provided by the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a microfluidic cartridge of a specific embodiment of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system provided by the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a microfluidic cartridge of another specific embodiment of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system provided by the present invention;

[0039] Figure 4 A partial top view of a microfluidic cartridge of a specific embodiment of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system provided by the present invention;

[0040] Figure 5 The present invention provides a flow chart of a specific embodiment of the control method of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] The speed and efficiency of biochemical reactions are temperature-dependent, requiring rapid reaching of the target temperature and maintaining the desired temperature throughout the reaction, with the reaction temperature remaining constant over time. Implementing biochemical reactions using digital microfluidics requires even stricter and more precise temperature control of the droplets.

[0042] However, in practical applications, the actual temperature of the temperature zone is affected by many factors, and it is difficult to maintain a constant temperature. The main influencing factors are as follows:

[0043] (1) Influence between different temperature zones: The high temperature zone has a heat radiation temperature next to it, and the low temperature zone has a cold radiation temperature next to it. Especially for substrates with excellent thermal conductivity, the heat / cold radiation phenomenon has a greater impact. Therefore, if the temperature difference between two adjacent temperature zones is large, a large space is required to achieve the temperature accuracy of the two temperature zones. In addition, the transition space between the two temperature zones is not suitable for other droplet movements due to the radiation temperature, resulting in space waste. In other words, the area of the cartridge needs to be expanded to achieve the temperature accuracy of the two temperature zones, which reduces the space utilization of the cartridge and increases the cost.

[0044] (2) The influence of droplet temperature on the temperature of the target temperature zone: For biochemical reactions with thermal cycling, such as PCR reactions, droplets move between high and low temperature zones (the denaturation temperature zone is the high temperature zone T1, and the nucleic acid synthesis temperature zone is the low temperature zone T2). When the droplet moves from the T1 zone to the T2 zone, the temperature of the droplet itself is higher than that of the T2 zone. At this time, the temperature of the T2 zone will be affected by the droplet temperature and increase slightly. Similarly, when the droplet moves from the T2 zone to the T1 zone, the temperature of the droplet itself is lower than that of the T1 zone. At this time, the temperature of the T1 zone will be affected by the droplet temperature and decrease slightly. And this influence becomes greater as the droplet movement speed increases and the droplet volume increases. For clinical detection reactions such as rapid PCR that require increased detection speed, this influence needs to be eliminated urgently.

[0045] (3) Temperature of the air around the microfluidic cartridge device or the contact device: The temperature zone is arranged on the microfluidic device, and the temperature environment around the microfluidic device directly affects the heat dissipation efficiency of the heat dissipation system of the temperature control component, thereby affecting the temperature of the temperature zone on the microfluidic device.

[0046] (4) Temperature fluctuations during temperature rise and fall: There is currently a technology for setting a variable temperature zone on a microfluidic device. The temperature of this temperature zone changes accordingly with time. If the first target temperature is low and the second target temperature is high, in the process of rising from the first target temperature to the second target temperature, it will first rise to a temperature slightly higher than the second target temperature, and then cool down to the second target temperature. This process has three disadvantages. First, since both target temperatures are the temperatures required for the reaction, the temperature change process must be carried out after the reaction is started. It is impossible to rise to the target temperature before the reaction, which takes a certain amount of time and does not meet the needs of clinical rapid detection. Second, for biochemical reactions that require high temperature accuracy, temperature fluctuations cannot guarantee precise temperature control and cannot meet actual reaction requirements. Third, large temperature rises and falls require high power consumption, increasing the circuit load.

[0047] (5) Temperature overshoot problem in constant temperature control process: The temperature exceeds the set value during the heating process.

[0048] In the above, (1), (2) and (3) are named “environmental impact of temperature zone”, and (4) and (5) are named “control impact of temperature zone”.

[0049] Therefore, there is an urgent need to propose a microfluidic system that can overcome the environmental and control influences of the temperature zone and control the temperature of the temperature zone to remain constant over time.

[0050] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0051] The core of the present invention is to provide an intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system, a specific embodiment of which is shown in the structural diagram. Figures 1 to 4 As shown, it is called specific embodiment 1, which includes a microprocessor 10, a microfluidic cartridge 20, a constant temperature device 30 and an ambient temperature sensor 40;

[0052] The microfluidic cartridge 20 includes an upper structural layer 21 and a lower structural layer 22 that are spaced apart, and a droplet flow channel is formed between the upper structural layer 21 and the lower structural layer 22;

[0053] The droplet flow channel includes a plurality of constant temperature zones 23 with different temperatures;

[0054] The constant temperature device 30 corresponds to the constant temperature zone 23 one by one;

[0055] The ambient temperature sensor 40 is disposed on the periphery of the microfluidic cartridge 20 and is used to obtain the working ambient temperature of the microfluidic cartridge 20;

[0056] The microprocessor 10 is respectively connected to the microfluidic cartridge 20 , the constant temperature device 30 and the ambient temperature sensor 40 for signal signals.

[0057] The periphery of the microfluidic card box 20 refers to a range within a certain distance outside the microfluidic card box 20. The specific setting area of the ambient temperature sensor 40 and the distance from the microfluidic card box 20 can be determined according to actual conditions. Of course, one or more ambient temperature sensors 40 can be set in different areas in different directions relative to the microfluidic card box 20.

[0058] Of course, the present invention may also include constant temperature zones 23 with the same temperature, and the shapes of different constant temperature zones 23 may be the same or different.

[0059] It should be noted that the constant temperature device 30 can obtain the temperature of the corresponding constant temperature zone 23 and feed it back to the microprocessor 10 , and the microprocessor 10 controls the constant temperature device 30 to adjust the temperature of the corresponding constant temperature zone 23 .

[0060] Preferably, the constant temperature device 30 is arranged on the outer surface of the upper structural layer 21 and / or the lower structural layer 22, that is, the constant temperature device 30 can be arranged on one side of the microfluidic cartridge 20 (the outer surface of the upper structural layer 21 or the outer surface of the lower structural layer 22), or on both sides of the microfluidic cartridge, as system redundancy, to ensure the working stability of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system and improve the temperature control effect. Of course, the constant temperature device 30 can be one or more. Figure 2 3 is a schematic diagram of the thermostat 30 being disposed on the outer surface of the lower structural layer 22. Of course, it can also be disposed on the outer surface of the upper structural layer 21, which will not be described in detail here. Figure 3 The figure shows a schematic diagram of a structure in which the thermostat 30 is provided on both the outer surface of the upper structural layer 21 and the outer surface of the lower structural layer 22. The thermostat 30 can be part of the microfluidic cartridge 20, in which case the thermostat 30 is closer to the actual constant temperature zone 23, providing better temperature control. Alternatively, the thermostat 30 can be part of the device in which the microfluidic cartridge 20 is mounted, positioned close to the cartridge during use. In this case, the thermostat 30 is reusable, saving costs.

[0061] In one embodiment, the upper structural layer 21 of the microfluidic cartridge 20 comprises, from top to bottom, an upper substrate 21A and an upper hydrophobic layer 21B; the lower structural layer 22 comprises, from bottom to top, a lower substrate 22A, a droplet driving array 25, a dielectric layer 22B, and a lower hydrophobic layer 22C. In other words, the microfluidic cartridge 20 in this application can employ an electrowetting microfluidic cartridge, although other types of cartridges can also be employed as needed.

[0062] Figure 1 The dotted lines in the figure represent the signal connections between the various structures, and the portion framed by the long dotted lines is the constant temperature zone 23.

[0063] Furthermore, the droplet driving array 25 of the microfluidic cartridge 20 is located on the lower structural layer 22 .

[0064] When the droplet driving array 25 is disposed below the droplet, it can better drive the droplet to move by changing the surface tension between the droplet and the interface surface of the solid cartridge.

[0065] Preferably, the control ports 25A of the droplet driving array 25 of the microfluidic cartridge are distributed around the lower structural layer 22 .

[0066] Please refer to Figure 4 In this preferred embodiment, the control port 25A of the droplet drive array 25 occupies four sides around the lower structural layer 22. This design can facilitate circuit wiring, improve circuit symmetry, and facilitate subsequent maintenance of the circuit.

[0067] It should be noted that the "up and down" directions in this application do not necessarily imply that the microfluidic cartridge 20 must be positioned horizontally; rather, they serve only to indicate relative positions. As a preferred embodiment, the constant temperature device 30 is positioned below the droplet actuation array 25, meaning that the droplet actuation array 25 is closer to the droplets than the constant temperature device 30. This is because the droplet actuation effect of the droplet actuation array 25 is more sensitive to distance than the constant temperature effect of the constant temperature device 30. Therefore, positioning the droplet actuation array 25 closer to the droplets significantly improves the droplet actuation effect without substantially affecting the constant temperature effect.

[0068] Preferably, the spacing between the upper structural layer 21 and the lower structural layer 22 ranges from 0.2 mm to 5.0 mm, inclusive, such as any of 0.20 mm, 3.27 mm, or 5.00 mm. This spacing, also known as the height of the droplet channel, is determined through extensive theoretical calculations and practical testing to maintain a good electromagnetic drive effect for the droplets while keeping the temperature of the constant temperature zone 23 easily controllable. Of course, this range can be adjusted based on actual conditions.

[0069] As a specific embodiment, the temperature sensor in the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system includes at least one of an NTC sensor, a Pt100 sensor, a PT1000 sensor, and a thermocouple sensor. While meeting the temperature measurement requirements, the above sensors are inexpensive and can reduce costs.

[0070] As a specific embodiment, the constant temperature device 30 includes at least one of a Peltier device, a hot and cold water device, and a resistance heating and cooling device. Of course, other types of constant temperature devices 30 can also be selected according to actual needs, and the present invention is not limited here.

[0071] As a preferred embodiment, the ambient temperature sensor 40 is disposed outside the microfluidic cartridge 20 and inside a device corresponding to the microfluidic cartridge 20 .

[0072] For example, the ambient temperature sensor 40 is disposed on the inner wall of the mounting housing corresponding to the microfluidic cartridge 20. The mounting housing corresponding to the microfluidic cartridge 20 refers to the housing in which the microfluidic cartridge 20 is mounted. The microfluidic cartridge 20 is generally not directly exposed to air during use, but is mounted in a housing slightly larger than the cartridge itself (i.e., the mounting housing). The microfluidic cartridge 20 is connected to other structures in the device through the mounting housing. At this time, the ambient temperature factor that has a greater impact on the microfluidic cartridge 20 is the internal temperature of the mounting housing. Therefore, disposing the ambient temperature sensor 40 on the inner wall of the mounting housing corresponding to the microfluidic cartridge 20 can obtain a more representative ambient temperature of the microfluidic chip. Of course, it can also be disposed in other areas. The closer the ambient temperature sensor 40 is to the microfluidic cartridge 20, the more accurate the ambient temperature of the cartridge temperature zone is. However, its location is not limited to the interior of the device. Those skilled in the art can also select other representative temperature areas according to actual conditions.

[0073] In addition to the temperature sensor installed inside the constant temperature device 30, temperature sensors are also installed around the microfluidic card box to sense the temperature of the air around the microfluidic card box device or the contact device in real time. The microprocessor 10 dynamically controls the constant temperature device 30 according to the sensor temperature. Under different ambient temperatures, the microprocessor 10 automatically performs temperature correction according to the collected ambient temperature to ensure that the temperature index can be kept stable in different environments, eliminate the temperature influence of the air around the microfluidic card box 20 device or the contact device, and keep the temperature of the constant temperature zone 23 constant.

[0074] The droplet driving logic is stored in the microprocessor 10, and instructions are sent to the droplet driving array 25 through the microprocessor 10 to change the surface tension between the droplet and the solid cartridge interface, thereby achieving the driving effect. At the same time, the droplet state (liquid volume & position) monitoring components sense the droplet position and liquid volume through the changes in the electrical properties of the droplet, and feed back to the microprocessor 10. The microprocessor 10 will issue corresponding instructions based on the feedback information received, thereby achieving precise control of the droplet driving.

[0075] The microprocessor 10 also stores constant temperature control algorithms, including temperature rise and fall logic, temperature compensation algorithms, and temperature control algorithms. The corresponding temperature sensors monitor the constant temperature zone 23 and the ambient temperature in real time, feeding back the real-time temperature signal to the microprocessor 10. Based on this feedback information and the set temperature information, the microprocessor 10 applies an optimized temperature control algorithm to adjust the output electrical signal, dynamically controlling the heating / cooling of the constant temperature device 30 to maintain the constant temperature of the constant temperature zone 23 at the target temperature. Through heat conduction from the solid cartridge, the droplets synchronize to the corresponding temperature. Through the intelligent coordination of the various temperature sensors, optimized temperature control algorithms, and constant temperature drive units described above, the temperature of the constant temperature zone remains constant over time, and the real-time temperature of the droplets remains constant, achieving precise control of the droplet temperature.

[0076] The intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system provided by the present invention includes a microprocessor 10, a microfluidic cartridge 20, a constant temperature device 30 and an ambient temperature sensor 40; the microfluidic cartridge 20 includes an upper structural layer 21 and a lower structural layer 22 arranged at intervals, and a droplet flow channel is formed between the upper structural layer 21 and the lower structural layer 22; the droplet flow channel includes multiple constant temperature zones 23 with different temperatures; the constant temperature device 30 corresponds one-to-one to the constant temperature zones 23; the ambient temperature sensor 40 is arranged on the periphery of the microfluidic cartridge 20, for obtaining the working environment temperature of the microfluidic cartridge 20; the microprocessor 10 is respectively connected to the microfluidic cartridge 20, the constant temperature device 30 and the ambient temperature sensor 40 for signals. The corresponding area of the microfluidic card box 20 of the present invention is provided with a constant temperature device 30, and the temperature of each constant temperature zone 23 in the microfluidic card box 20 is precisely controlled by the constant temperature device 30. At the same time, considering that the process of maintaining a constant temperature is a process of continuously obtaining the temperature of the constant temperature zone 23 and continuously adjusting the temperature by heating and cooling, the present invention also takes into account the ambient temperature that has a greater impact on the temperature of the constant temperature zone 23, and adds an ambient temperature sensor 40 arranged on the outside of the microfluidic card box 20. The temperature of the constant temperature zone 23 is corrected by the ambient temperature data sent back by the ambient temperature sensor 40, and finally a control method of the constant temperature device 30 with more precise temperature control and smaller temperature fluctuation is obtained, thereby achieving a higher-precision constant temperature effect.

[0077] The present invention also provides a control method for any of the above-mentioned intelligent constant temperature microfluidic systems, a flow chart of a specific embodiment of which is as follows: Figure 5 As shown, it is called the second specific implementation method, including:

[0078] S101 : Acquire initial temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 from the constant temperature device 30 , and collect ambient temperature data from the ambient temperature sensor 40 .

[0079] S102: Determine a correction coefficient according to the ambient temperature data.

[0080] S103: Determine the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 according to the correction coefficient and the initial temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23.

[0081] S104 : determining the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device 30 according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 .

[0082] For example, if the ambient temperature of the microfluidic cartridge 20 is higher than the target temperature that the constant temperature zone 23 needs to maintain, and the current initial temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 is higher than the target temperature, the cooling power of the corresponding constant temperature device 30 can be appropriately increased; and if the current initial temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 is lower than the target temperature, the heating power of the corresponding constant temperature device 30 can be appropriately reduced.

[0083] As a specific implementation, the determining of the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device 30 according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 includes:

[0084] A1: Determine whether the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 is within a preset fine-tuning temperature range.

[0085] The fine-tuning temperature range refers to the temperature range where the constant temperature zone 23 is not far from the target temperature. If the temperature exceeds the fine-tuning temperature range, the constant temperature device 30 may need to be fully powered to increase or decrease the temperature, or shut down and wait for the temperature to drop naturally, that is, no power adjustment is involved. For example, the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 is greater than the maximum value Temp. max , stop output, less than the minimum value Temp min , full power output

[0086] A2: When the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 is within the fine-tuning temperature range, the PID value corresponding to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 is calculated.

[0087] A3: Determine whether the PID value is greater than the preset PID max value.

[0088] A4: When the PID value is greater than the preset PID max When the value is set, the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device 30 is determined according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 using the anti-integral saturation method.

[0089] As another specific embodiment, the determining the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device 30 according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 includes:

[0090] B1: Determine whether the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 is within a preset fine-tuning temperature range.

[0091] B2: When the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 is within the fine-tuning temperature range, the PID change rate corresponding to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 is calculated.

[0092] B3: Determine whether the PID change rate is greater than a preset maximum change rate.

[0093] B4: When the PID change rate is greater than the maximum change rate, the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device 30 is determined based on the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 using the anti-integral separation method.

[0094] The optimized algorithms in the two aforementioned embodiments are resistant to integral windup and integral breakup, enabling precise heating / cooling of the thermostat 30 and maintaining a constant temperature in the thermostat zone 23. Of course, the two aforementioned methods can be combined, namely, first determining the magnitude of the PID value and then determining the PID change rate, thereby achieving optimal temperature control accuracy and preventing temperature fluctuations in the thermostat zone 23.

[0095] The control method of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system provided by the present invention obtains the initial temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 from the constant temperature device 30 and collects the ambient temperature data from the ambient temperature sensor 40; determines the correction coefficient based on the ambient temperature data; determines the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23 based on the correction coefficient and the initial temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23; and determines the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device 30 based on the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone 23. The corresponding area of the microfluidic card box 20 of the present invention is provided with a constant temperature device 30, and the temperature of each constant temperature zone 23 in the microfluidic card box 20 is precisely controlled by the constant temperature device 30. At the same time, considering that the process of maintaining a constant temperature is a process of continuously obtaining the temperature of the constant temperature zone 23 and continuously adjusting the temperature by heating and cooling, the present invention also takes into account the ambient temperature that has a greater impact on the temperature of the constant temperature zone 23, and adds an ambient temperature sensor 40 arranged on the outside of the microfluidic card box 20. The temperature of the constant temperature zone 23 is corrected by the ambient temperature data sent back by the ambient temperature sensor 40, and finally a control method of the constant temperature device 30 with more precise temperature control and smaller temperature fluctuation is obtained, thereby achieving a higher-precision constant temperature effect.

[0096] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on its differences from the other embodiments. Reference can be made to the descriptions of the identical or similar parts between the various embodiments. For the devices disclosed in the embodiments, since they correspond to the methods disclosed in the embodiments, the descriptions are relatively simple, and the relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions of the methods.

[0097] It should be noted that, in this specification, relational terms such as first and second, etc. are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another entity or operation, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Moreover, the terms "comprises", "comprising" or any other variants thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, so that a process, method, article or device comprising a series of elements includes not only those elements, but also other elements not explicitly listed, or also includes elements inherent to such process, method, article or device. In the absence of further restrictions, an element defined by the sentence "comprising a ..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article or device comprising the element.

[0098] The above is a detailed introduction to the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system and control method provided by the present invention. Specific examples are used herein to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The description of the above embodiments is only used to help understand the method of the present invention and its core idea. It should be pointed out that for ordinary technicians in this technical field, without departing from the principles of the present invention, the present invention can also be improved and modified in several ways, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. An intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system, characterized in that: It includes a microprocessor, a microfluidic cartridge, a constant temperature device and an ambient temperature sensor; The microfluidic cartridge comprises an upper structural layer and a lower structural layer which are spaced apart, and a droplet flow channel is formed between the upper structural layer and the lower structural layer; The droplet flow channel includes a plurality of constant temperature zones with different temperatures; The constant temperature devices correspond to the constant temperature zones one by one; The ambient temperature sensor is arranged at the periphery of the microfluidic cartridge and is used to obtain the working ambient temperature of the microfluidic cartridge; The microprocessor is respectively connected to the microfluidic cartridge, the constant temperature device and the ambient temperature sensor signal; The upper structural layer of the microfluidic cartridge includes, from top to bottom, an upper substrate and an upper hydrophobic layer; the lower structural layer includes, from bottom to top, a lower substrate, a droplet driving array, a dielectric layer, and a lower hydrophobic layer; The constant temperature device is arranged on the outer surface of the upper structural layer and / or the lower structural layer.

2. The intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The constant temperature device includes at least one of a Peltier device, a hot and cold water device, and a resistance heating and air cooling device.

3. The intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that: The ambient temperature sensor is arranged outside the microfluidic cartridge and inside a device corresponding to the microfluidic cartridge.

4. A control method for an intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: include: Acquire initial temperature data of the constant temperature zone from the constant temperature device, and collect ambient temperature data from the ambient temperature sensor; determining a correction coefficient according to the ambient temperature data; Determining the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone according to the correction coefficient and the initial temperature data of the constant temperature zone; The power information of the corresponding constant temperature device is determined according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone.

5. The control method of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The determining of the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone includes: Determining whether the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone is within a preset fine-tuning temperature range; When the constant temperature zone corrected temperature data is within the fine-tuning temperature range, calculating the PID value corresponding to the constant temperature zone corrected temperature data; Determine whether the PID value is greater than the preset PID max value; When the PID value is greater than the preset PID max When the value is set, the anti-integral saturation method is used to determine the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone.

6. The control method of the intelligent constant temperature microfluidic system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The determining of the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone includes: Determining whether the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone is within a preset fine-tuning temperature range; When the constant temperature zone corrected temperature data is within the fine-tuning temperature range, calculating the PID change rate corresponding to the constant temperature zone corrected temperature data; Determine whether the PID change rate is greater than a preset maximum change rate; When the PID change rate is greater than the maximum change rate, the power information of the corresponding constant temperature device is determined according to the corrected temperature data of the constant temperature zone using an anti-integral separation method.

Images