Thermal cycling device, thermal cycling system and biochemical analyzer

Abstract

The application provides a thermal cycle device, which comprises a heat sink, a temperature controller, a heat-conducting plate and a heat-conducting film; the temperature controller is located on the heat sink; the heat-conducting plate is located on the surface of the temperature controller, the heat-conducting plate is sealingly connected with the heat sink and forms a sealed cavity, and the temperature controller is located in the sealed cavity; the heat-conducting film is located on the surface of the heat-conducting plate, and the heat-conducting film is provided with a vacuum groove; the heat sink is provided with a first through hole, the heat-conducting plate is provided with a second through hole, the sealed cavity is in communication with the first through hole, the second through hole and the vacuum groove, and the sealed cavity is in communication with a vacuum device, so that a negative pressure is formed in the sealed cavity and the vacuum groove. The application also provides a thermal cycle system and a biochemical analyzer. The thermal cycle device can shorten the time for temperature rising and falling, improve sequencing efficiency and reduce sequencing cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of thermodynamics, and in particular to a thermal circulation device, a thermal circulation system, and a biochemical analyzer. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, with the widespread adoption of next-generation sequencing technology, gene testing is being used more and more extensively in various industries such as medical and health care, agricultural breeding, forensic identification, and food safety. At the same time, the market is increasingly eager for a reduction in the cost of gene sequencing technology.

[0003] Next-generation sequencing technologies based on sequencing-by-synthesis typically utilize thermal cycling temperature control systems. These systems regulate the reaction of different reagents under varying temperature conditions. However, current thermal cycling temperature control systems suffer from long heating and cooling times, resulting in extended sequencing times and lower efficiency, which hinders cost reduction. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, in order to solve at least one of the above problems, it is necessary to provide a heat circulation device that can shorten the heating and cooling time and improve efficiency.

[0005] Furthermore, this application also provides a thermal cycling system using the thermal cycling device and a biochemical analyzer using the thermal cycling system. Using the thermal cycling device is beneficial to improving the sequencing efficiency of the biochemical analyzer, thereby reducing sequencing costs.

[0006] This application provides a heat circulation device, which includes: a radiator, a temperature controller, a heat-conducting plate, and a heat-conducting film. The radiator includes a radiator body with a first through hole. The temperature controller is located on the radiator body. The heat-conducting plate is located on the surface of the temperature controller away from the radiator. The heat-conducting plate is sealed to the radiator to form a sealed cavity. The temperature controller is located in the sealed cavity. The heat-conducting plate has a second through hole, and the sealed cavity communicates with both the first and second through holes. The heat-conducting film is located on the surface of the heat-conducting plate away from the temperature controller. The heat-conducting film has a vacuum groove, which communicates with the second through hole. The heat-conducting film is used to support a heated body. The first through hole communicates with a vacuum device to create a negative pressure in the sealed cavity and the vacuum groove.

[0007] In some possible embodiments, the heat-conducting plate is made of semiconductor materials.

[0008] In some possible embodiments, the semiconductor material includes silicon.

[0009] In some possible embodiments, the heat circulation device further includes a heat insulation frame connected to the radiator body, the heat insulation frame being located at the outer edge of the thermostat, the heat-conducting plate and the heat-conducting film, the heat-conducting plate being sealed to the heat insulation frame so that the radiator body, the heat insulation frame and the heat-conducting plate form the sealed cavity.

[0010] In some possible embodiments, the portion of the radiator body located below the heat insulation frame has a groove, and a sealing ring is provided within the groove, with the sealing ring protruding from the groove near the surface of the heat insulation frame. Specifically, the sealing ring is an O-ring.

[0011] In some possible embodiments, a sealant layer is provided between the heat-conducting plate and the heat insulation frame.

[0012] In some possible embodiments, the thermostat has a thermal interface material layer on a first end face near the heat sink body and / or on a second end face near the heat-conducting plate. Specifically, the thermal interface material layer is made of thermally conductive silicone grease.

[0013] In some possible embodiments, the thermal cycling device further includes a sensor assembly comprising a sensor mounting base disposed on the heat sink body and located below the heat-conducting plate, a sensor spring seat slidably disposed on the sensor mounting base, a spring disposed on the sensor spring seat and abutting against the heat sink, and a temperature sensor disposed on the side of the sensor spring seat near the heat-conducting plate.

[0014] A second aspect of this application also provides a thermal circulation system, which includes the aforementioned thermal circulation device and a vacuum device, wherein the vacuum device is connected to the first through hole.

[0015] A third aspect of this application also provides a biochemical analyzer, which includes a heated body and the aforementioned thermal circulation system, wherein the heated body is adsorbed on the surface of the thermally conductive film.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the thermal cycling device provided in this application has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] 1) A sealed cavity can be formed between the heat-conducting plate and the heat sink. The thermostat is located in the sealed cavity. The sealed cavity is connected to the vacuum groove on the heat-conducting film. A negative pressure can be formed in the sealed cavity through a vacuum device. On the one hand, the heated body can be pressed tightly onto the heat-conducting film. On the other hand, the negative pressure can also tightly fit the mounting surfaces of the heat-conducting plate, thermostat and heat sink. The pressure on the contact surface is consistent, the heat conduction is uniform, and the heating and cooling times are short.

[0018] 2) The connection between the heat-conducting plate and the heat insulation frame is achieved by a sealing adhesive layer. No special treatment (such as opening holes) is required on the heat-conducting plate, and the thickness can be made very thin, so that the total heat mass is very small, which helps to shorten the heating and cooling time.

[0019] 3) The heat-conducting plate is made of silicon, a semiconductor material. Silicon has a relatively small volumetric heat capacity, which helps to shorten the heating and cooling time.

[0020] 4) A graphite film or graphene film with a high thermal conductivity is attached to the heat-conducting plate, which can make the temperature on the surface of the heat-conducting plate quickly become uniform, which helps to shorten the heating and cooling time.

[0021] 5) Biochemical analyzers (e.g., sequencers) using the thermal cycling device of the embodiments of this application have short analysis times, which helps to improve analysis and detection efficiency and reduce analysis and detection costs. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal cycling device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0023] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Exploded view of the intermediate heat cycle unit.

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Cross-sectional view along the middle section III-III.

[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Enlarged view of section IV.

[0026] Figure 5 The thermal simulation temperature rise curves are shown for heat-conducting plates made of copper, silver, aluminum, and silicon, respectively.

[0027] Figure 6 The thermal simulation cooling curves are shown for heat-conducting plates made of copper, silver, aluminum, and silicon, respectively.

[0028] Figure 7 This is a comparison chart showing the heating and cooling times of heat-conducting plates made of copper, silver, aluminum, and silicon, respectively.

[0029] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal cycling system provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0030] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a biochemical analyzer provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0031] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a thermal cycling device provided in another embodiment of this application.

[0032] Figure 11 for Figure 10 Top view after assembly.

[0033] Figure 12 for Figure 11 Cross-sectional view along XII-XII.

[0034] Figure 13 for Figure 12 Enlarged view of section XIII.

[0035] Figure 14 To adopt Figure 10 The diagram shows the temperature curve of the thermal cycling device used for thermal cycling of an 8-inch biochip.

[0036] Figure 15 for Figure 14 Temperature curve of the last thermal cycle out of 11 thermal cycles.

[0037] Explanation of main component symbols

[0038] Biochemical Analyzer 1000

[0039] Thermal circulation system 100

[0040] Heat circulation device 110

[0041] Radiator 1

[0042] Radiator body 11

[0043] Mounting surface 12

[0044] Heatsink 13

[0045] First through hole 14

[0046] Groove 15

[0047] Sensor mounting slot 16

[0048] Screw hole 17, 61

[0049] Thermostat 2

[0050] First end face 21

[0051] Second end face 22

[0052] Heat conduction plate 3

[0053] Second through hole 31

[0054] Thermal conductive film 4

[0055] First surface 41

[0056] Second surface 42

[0057] Vacuum tank 43

[0058] Sensor Component 5

[0059] Sensor mounting bracket 51

[0060] Sensor spring mount 52

[0061] Spring 53

[0062] Temperature sensor 54

[0063] Insulation frame 6

[0064] Sealing ring 7

[0065] Sealant layer 8

[0066] 10 bolts

[0067] Fan 20

[0068] Side panel 30

[0069] partition 40

[0070] Fan plate 50

[0071] Sealed cavity a

[0072] Vacuum device 120

[0073] Heated body 200

[0074] The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, will further illustrate this application. Detailed Implementation

[0075] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0076] It should be noted that when a component is considered to be "connected" to another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or may also have a component positioned in between. When a component is said to be "mounted" on another component, it can be directly on the other component or may also have a component positioned in between. When a component is considered to be "set on" another component, it can be directly set on the other component or may also have a component positioned in between.

[0077] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein in the specification of this application is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The term "or / and" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0078] It should be understood that the terms "upper," "lower," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or component referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application. The terms "first" and "second" are only used to distinguish objects and do not refer to a specific sequential relationship.

[0079] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This application provides a heat circulation device 110, which mainly includes a radiator 1, a temperature controller 2, a heat-conducting plate 3, and a heat-conducting film 4. The radiator 1 includes a radiator body 11, which has a first through hole 14. The temperature controller 2 is located on the radiator body 11. The heat-conducting plate 3 is located on the surface of the temperature controller 2 facing away from the radiator 1, and the heat-conducting plate 3 is sealed to the radiator 1 to form a sealed cavity a. Figure 3 As shown, the temperature controller 2 is located inside the sealed cavity a; additionally, the heat-conducting plate 3 has a second through hole 31, and the sealed cavity a is connected to the first through hole 14 and the second through hole 31 respectively. The heat-conducting film 4 is attached to the surface of the heat-conducting plate 3 away from the temperature controller 2. The heat-conducting film 4 is used to support the heated body, and the heat-conducting film 4 is provided with a vacuum groove 43, which is connected to the second through hole 31 and then to the sealed cavity a and the first through hole 14. In addition, the first through hole 14 can be connected to a vacuum device. Turning on the vacuum device can create a negative pressure in the sealed cavity a and the vacuum groove 43, thereby adsorbing the heated body onto the surface of the heat-conducting film 4; moreover, during the adsorption process, the negative pressure can also press the heat-conducting plate 3 and the temperature controller 2 tightly onto the radiator body 11 to achieve a tight fit.

[0080] Please see Figure 2 The radiator body 11 has a mounting surface 12 on the side near the heat-conducting plate 3, and multiple heat sinks 13 are provided on the side of the radiator body 11 away from the mounting surface 12. The heat from the heat-conducting plate 3 is transferred to the radiator body 11 by the temperature controller 2, and then discharged through the heat sinks 13. The multiple heat sinks 13 are arranged side by side and vertically on the radiator body 11, which can increase the total heat dissipation area of ​​the radiator 1 and improve the heat dissipation efficiency.

[0081] In some embodiments, the first through hole 14 is located approximately in the center of the mounting surface 12. The first through hole 14 can be connected to a vacuum line (not shown), which further connects to a vacuum device.

[0082] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 4 The heat circulation device 110 also includes a heat insulation frame 6 disposed on the mounting surface 12 of the radiator body 11. The heat insulation frame 6 is located around the outer periphery of the temperature controller 2, the heat-conducting plate 3, and the heat-conducting film 4, and is sealed to the radiator 1. The heat insulation frame 6 is generally a rectangular frame and is made of heat-insulating material. In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the heat-conducting plate 3 is sealed to the heat insulation frame 6, thereby forming a sealed cavity a between the heat-conducting plate 3 and the mounting surface 12 of the radiator body 11. The thermostat 2 is located inside this sealed cavity a. In use, when a flat object to be heated is placed on the heat-conducting film 4, the vacuum groove 43 is covered, which forms a sealed system between the heat-conducting film 4, the heat-conducting plate 3 and the mounting surface 12 of the radiator 1. The gas in the sealed cavity a can be extracted by the vacuum device to achieve negative pressure. Then, the external atmospheric pressure presses the object to be heated with a planar structure onto the surface of the heat-conducting film 4. At the same time, this pressure is transmitted downward to the heat-conducting plate 3 and the thermostat 2. In this way, the flat object to be heated, the heat-conducting film 4, the heat-conducting plate 3 and the thermostat 2 are firmly pressed onto the radiator 1 by atmospheric pressure, which provides favorable conditions for the heat transfer of the thermostat 2, which helps to shorten the heating and cooling time and improve the temperature control efficiency.

[0083] In some embodiments, the heat insulation frame 6 is connected to the radiator body 11 by bolts. Specifically, the heat insulation frame 6 has a plurality of screw holes 61 around its periphery, and the radiator body 11 has a plurality of corresponding screw holes 17. The heat insulation frame 6 can be fixed to the radiator body 11 by bolts inserted into the screw holes 61 and screw holes 17. Specifically, the inner wall of the screw holes 61 may not have internal threads, and internal threads are only provided on the screw holes 17 of the radiator body 11.

[0084] In some embodiments, a groove 15 is formed in the portion of the radiator body 11 located below the heat insulation frame 6. Specifically, the portion of the mounting surface 12 located below the heat insulation frame 6 is recessed toward the heat sink 13 to form the groove 15. A sealing ring 7 is provided in the groove 15 to improve the sealing performance of the sealing cavity a.

[0085] In some embodiments, the groove 15 is generally a rectangular ring structure surrounding the outer edge of the thermostat 2, the heat-conducting plate 3, and the heat-conducting film 4. In some embodiments, the cross-sectional diameter of the sealing ring 7 is greater than the groove depth of the groove 15. That is, when the sealing ring 7 is placed in the groove 15, it will protrude from the groove opening of the groove 15. When the heat insulation frame 6 is connected to the heat sink 1 by bolts, it will press the sealing ring 7 into the groove 15, thereby improving the sealing performance of the sealing cavity a.

[0086] In some embodiments, the sealing ring 7 is an O-ring, which helps to improve the sealing effect.

[0087] In some embodiments, a sealant layer 8 is provided between the heat-conducting plate 3 and the heat insulation frame 6. The sealant layer 8 can seal the heat-conducting plate 3 to the heat insulation frame 6, further improving the sealing performance of the sealed cavity a. Moreover, it eliminates the need for connecting holes in the heat-conducting plate 3, allowing for a thinner plate, which helps to further reduce the total thermal mass and shorten the heating and cooling times. Understandably, the heat-conducting plate 3 is connected to the heat insulation frame 6 via the sealant layer 8. Due to the elasticity of the sealant layer 8, the heat-conducting plate 3 can undergo slight displacement during vacuum adsorption to press firmly against the temperature controller 2.

[0088] Please refer to it again. Figure 2 The thermostat 2 is a thermoelectric cooler (TEC), commonly known as a Peltier. The thermostat 2 is placed within a sealed cavity a formed between the heat-conducting plate 3 and the heat sink 1. The thermostat 2 includes a first end face 21 and a second end face 22 disposed opposite to each other. The first end face 21 is in contact with the mounting surface 12 of the heat sink 1, and the second end face 22 is in contact with the surface of the heat-conducting plate 3. Negative pressure allows for a tight fit between the thermostat 2, the heat sink 1, and the heat-conducting plate 3, thereby improving heat conduction efficiency and reducing thermal resistance.

[0089] In some embodiments, the thermostat 2 can be a single unit or a combination of multiple units. It is understood that the thermostat 2 has gaps along its edges, allowing the first through-hole 14 and the second through-hole 31 to communicate with the sealed cavity a. There is no need to drill holes in the thermostat 2; gas can pass through the edge gaps, thus preventing any impact on the thermostat 2's performance.

[0090] In some embodiments, a thermal interface material layer is provided on the first end face 21 of the thermostat 2 near the heat sink body 11 and / or the second end face 22 of the thermostat 2 near the heat-conducting plate 3. Exemplarily, the material of this thermal interface material layer may include, but is not limited to, thermally conductive silicone grease. By coating the end face of the thermostat 2 with a thermal interface material, the contact thermal resistance between the thermostat 2 and the heat-conducting plate 3 and the heat sink 1 can be reduced, further improving heat conduction efficiency.

[0091] Please see Figure 2 The heat-conducting plate 3 is a thin flat plate that can fit tightly against the thermostat 2 under atmospheric pressure, further pressing the thermostat 2 onto the radiator 1. This results in better pressure consistency and heat conduction uniformity on the contact surfaces of the thermostat 2, the heat-conducting plate 3, and the radiator 1, thus shortening the heating and cooling times. Furthermore, the heat-conducting plate 3 is connected to the insulation frame 6 using a sealing layer 8, which does not compromise the flatness of the heat-conducting plate 3. If the heat-conducting plate 3 is bent or deformed, its flatness will decrease, leading to uneven pressure on the thermostat 2 and affecting the heating and cooling times. Therefore, in this embodiment, the installation of the heat-conducting plate 3 does not require drilling holes. After installation, the heat-conducting plate 3 has high flatness, which improves the flatness of the contact surface between the heat-conducting plate 3 and the thermostat 2, further shortening the heating and cooling times. Additionally, as mentioned earlier, using a sealing layer 8 to connect the heat-conducting plate 3 and the insulation frame 6 also facilitates further thinning of the heat-conducting plate 3. Furthermore, for the fragile heat-conducting plate 3, negative pressure compression and sealant sealing are used to eliminate the need for drilling holes in the heat-conducting plate 3.

[0092] In some embodiments, the material of the heat-conducting plate 3 may include semiconductor materials, specifically silicon.

[0093] The inventors of this application have discovered that, under the conditions of equal heat source, same heat load, and same heat-conducting plate size, the factors affecting the heating and cooling time of the heat cycle depend more on the volumetric heat capacity of the material used to make the heat-conducting plate than on the thermal conductivity of the heat-conducting plate material.

[0094] Table 1 below lists the thermal conductivity and volumetric heat capacity of copper, silver, aluminum, and silicon.

[0095] Table 1

[0096]

[0097] As can be seen from Table 1, silicon has the worst thermal conductivity among these materials, but its volumetric heat capacity is the smallest.

[0098] like Figures 5 to 7 As shown, thermal simulation results of heat-conducting plates made of copper, silver, aluminum, and silicon are presented. The simulations are conducted under the conditions of equal heat source, same heat load, and same heat-conducting plate size, comparing the heat load rise and cool-down time when different materials are used for the heat-conducting plates. Figure 5 and Figure 6 The graph shows the heating and cooling curves of the heat load. We can see that the heating and cooling rate of the heat-conducting plate made of silicon is the fastest; then aluminum and silver, whose heating and cooling curves almost overlap; and finally copper, which has the slowest heating and cooling rate. Figure 7This comparison focuses on the specific heating and cooling times. The heating condition was from 20°C to 60°C, and the cooling condition was from 60°C to 20°C. The heating and cooling times for an aluminum heatsink were both 4.1 seconds. For a copper heatsink, the times were 5 seconds and 5.1 seconds respectively. For a silicon heatsink, the times were both 3.4 seconds, and for a silver heatsink, the times were both 4.1 seconds. Thermal simulation results show that, for heatsinks of the same size, the fastest heating and cooling is not achieved by copper or silver (which have high thermal conductivity), nor by aluminum (a common heatsink material), but by silicon, a semiconductor material. This means that silicon has a very small volumetric heat capacity, and silicon heatsinks can be made very thin without deformation, resulting in a very small total thermal mass, which provides favorable conditions for shortening the heating and cooling times of the thermal cycle.

[0099] In some embodiments, a second through hole 31 is provided on the heat-conducting plate 3 to prevent damage to the heat-conducting plate 3. It is understood that when the heat-conducting plate 3 is not made of a fragile material, multiple second through holes 31 may also be provided.

[0100] In some embodiments, the vertical projection of the second through hole 31 on the mounting surface 12 is located at the edge of the thermostat 2 or the gap between two adjacent thermostats 2. In addition, the first through hole 14 is also located at the edge of the thermostat 2 or the gap between two adjacent thermostats 2, so that the communication between the first through hole 14, the sealing cavity a and the second through hole 31 can be achieved.

[0101] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 The heat-conducting film 4 is generally a rectangular structure with a thickness between 0.01 mm and 0.5 mm. It includes a first surface 41 and a second surface 42 disposed opposite to each other. The first surface 41 is close to the heat-conducting plate 3, and the second surface 42 is used to support the heated body.

[0102] In some embodiments, the vacuum groove 43 may be a hollow area that penetrates the thermally conductive film 4, that is, the vacuum groove 43 may be a hollow area that penetrates the first surface 41 and the second surface 42.

[0103] In other embodiments, the vacuum groove 43 can also be formed by the second surface 42 being recessed towards the first surface 41. In this case, a through hole needs to be opened on the heat-conducting film 4 to realize the communication between the vacuum groove 43, the second through hole 31, and the sealed cavity a. Specifically, the vacuum groove 43 can be multiple interconnected grooves, which are evenly distributed on the second surface 42 of the heat-conducting film 4, so that the heated body is subjected to more uniform force during vacuum adsorption.

[0104] The vacuum tank 43 shown in the attached figure forms a mesh with multiple rectangles, which can ensure that the heated body is subjected to uniform force and is stably adsorbed.

[0105] In some embodiments, the thermally conductive film 4 may be made of graphite film or graphene film. Graphite film or graphene film has a high thermal conductivity, which can further shorten the heating and cooling time of the thermal cycling device 110, and at the same time improve the temperature uniformity. It is understood that the thermally conductive film 4 may also be made of metal foil thermally conductive materials such as aluminum foil, copper foil, and silver foil.

[0106] In some embodiments, the thermally conductive film 4 can be adhered to the surface of the thermally conductive plate 3 with thermally conductive adhesive to achieve a tight bond between the two.

[0107] Please see Figure 2 and Figure 4 The thermal circulation device 110 also includes a sensor assembly 5, which includes a sensor mounting base 51 disposed on the heat sink body 11 and located below the heat conduction plate 3, a sensor spring seat 52 slidably disposed on the sensor mounting base 51, a spring 53 disposed between the sensor spring seat 52 and the heat sink 1, and a temperature sensor 54 disposed on the side of the sensor spring seat 52 near the heat conduction plate 3. By embedding the temperature sensor 54 in the sensor spring seat 52, with the spring 53 supporting it from below, and the sensor spring seat 52 movably fitted onto the sensor mounting base 51, when the heated body is pressed by external atmospheric pressure, the temperature sensor 54 will also be in close contact with the heat conduction plate 3 under the elastic force of the spring 53, which helps to improve the accuracy of the temperature sensing by the temperature sensor 54.

[0108] In some embodiments, a sensor mounting groove 16 is formed on the heat sink body 11, and a sensor mounting base 51 is located in the sensor mounting groove 16. After installation, a spring 53 extends into the sensor mounting groove 16 and abuts against the bottom wall of the sensor mounting groove 16. The temperature sensor 54 can move back and forth along the depth direction of the sensor mounting groove 16 to fit tightly against the heat conduction plate 3.

[0109] In some embodiments, the number of sensor components 5 can be one or more. When the size of the heated body is large, multiple sensor components 5 can be used to improve the temperature consistency of different areas.

[0110] The heat circulation device 110 provided in this application embodiment has the following beneficial effects:

[0111] 1) A sealed cavity a can be formed between the heat-conducting plate 3 and the heat sink 1. The temperature controller 2 is located in the sealed cavity a. The sealed cavity a is connected to the vacuum groove 43 on the heat-conducting film 4. A negative pressure can be formed in the sealed cavity a through a vacuum device. On the one hand, the heated body can be pressed tightly onto the heat-conducting film 4. On the other hand, the negative pressure can also tightly fit the mounting surface 12 of the heat-conducting plate 3, the temperature controller 2 and the heat sink 1. The pressure on the contact surface is consistent, the heat conduction is uniform, and the heating and cooling times are short.

[0112] 2) The connection between the heat-conducting plate 3 and the heat insulation frame 6 is achieved by the sealing adhesive layer 8. No special treatment (such as opening holes) is required on the heat-conducting plate 3, and the thickness can be made very thin, so that the total heat mass is very small, which is conducive to shortening the heating and cooling time.

[0113] 3) The heat-conducting plate 3 is made of silicon, a semiconductor material. Silicon has a relatively small volumetric heat capacity, which helps to shorten the heating and cooling time.

[0114] 4) A graphite film or graphene film with a high thermal conductivity is attached to the heat-conducting plate 3, which allows the heat on the surface of the heat-conducting plate 3 to be transferred quickly, which helps to shorten the heating and cooling time.

[0115] Please see Figure 8 Combined with reference Figure 2 Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a thermal circulation system 100, which includes the aforementioned thermal circulation device 110 and a vacuum device 120. The vacuum device 120 is connected to the first through hole 14 on the aforementioned heat sink 1, so that the heated body is adsorbed onto the second surface 42 of the thermally conductive film 4. Specifically, the thermal circulation system 100 can be applied to biochemical analysis instruments such as gene sequencers or PCR instruments.

[0116] Please see Figure 9 Combined with reference Figure 2 Based on the same inventive concept, this application also provides a biochemical analyzer 1000, which includes a heated body 200 and the aforementioned thermal circulation system 100. The heated body 200 may be a biochip, and the heated body 200 is adsorbed on the second surface 42 of the thermally conductive film 4.

[0117] In some embodiments, the biochemical analyzer 1000 may be a gene sequencer, and the heated body 200 may be a sequencing chip.

[0118] In other embodiments, the biochemical analyzer 1000 may also include other platforms.

[0119] The biochemical analyzer 1000 using the aforementioned thermal cycling device 110 has short heating and cooling times and high sequencing efficiency, which helps to reduce sequencing costs.

[0120] The following detailed description of the thermal circulation system and its effects according to specific embodiments of this application is provided.

[0121] Please see Figures 10 to 13This is a specific embodiment of the thermal circulation system. The thermal circulation device in the system uses 16 temperature controllers 2 (TECs), the heat conduction plate 3 is a 0.8 mm thick silicon wafer, and a graphite thermal conductive film 4 with a thermal conductivity of 600 W / mK is attached to the heat conduction plate 3. In addition, it also includes components such as temperature sensor 54, heat insulation frame 6, heat sink 1, two fans 20, side plate 30, two partitions 40, fan plate 50, etc.

[0122] Using this thermal cycling system to heat and cool an 8-inch biochip (heated body 200), experimental test results show that the heating and cooling times are significantly shortened compared to the air-cooled thermal cycling technology of existing sequencers.

[0123] Figure 14 The 8-inch biochip underwent 11 thermal cycles, with the temperature rising from 20°C to 60°C, held for 120 seconds, and then dropping back down to 20°C. For such a large biochip, it took only about 7.5 seconds to rise from 20°C to 60°C and about 15 seconds to drop back down to 20°C.

[0124] Figure 15 The data shown is a detailed analysis of the last of the 11 thermal cycles. It can be seen that the heating and cooling times have not changed significantly, remaining at 7.5 seconds for heating and 15 seconds for cooling.

[0125] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application in any way. Although the preferred embodiment has been disclosed above, it is not intended to limit this application. Any person skilled in the art can make some modifications or alterations to the above-disclosed technical content to create equivalent embodiments without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application. Any simple modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application without departing from the scope of the technical solution of this application shall still fall within the scope of the technical solution of this application.

Claims

1. A heat circulation device, characterized in that, include: A radiator includes a radiator body, the radiator body including a mounting surface, and the radiator body having a first through hole penetrating the mounting surface; A heat insulation frame is connected to the radiator body, and the mounting surface is located inside the heat insulation frame; A thermostat is located on the mounting surface, the area of ​​the thermostat is smaller than the area of ​​the mounting surface, and the first through hole is located on the outside of the thermostat; A heat-conducting plate is located on the surface of the thermostat facing away from the heat sink. The area of ​​the thermostat is smaller than the area of ​​the heat-conducting plate. The edge of the heat-conducting plate is sealed to the heat insulation frame through a sealant layer, so that the heat-conducting plate, the heat insulation frame, and the mounting surface form a sealed cavity. The thermostat is located in the sealed cavity. The heat-conducting plate has a second through hole. The vertical projection of the second through hole on the mounting surface is located outside the thermostat. The sealed cavity communicates with the first through hole and the second through hole respectively. The material of the heat-conducting plate includes a semiconductor material, and the semiconductor material is silicon. as well as A thermally conductive film is located on the surface of the thermally conductive plate opposite to the temperature controller. The thermally conductive plate is located inside the heat insulation frame, and the thermally conductive film is provided with a vacuum groove. The vacuum groove communicates with the second through hole, and the thermally conductive film is used to support the heated body. The first through hole is used to communicate with the vacuum device so that a negative pressure is formed in the sealed cavity and the vacuum tank. The negative pressure is used to adsorb the heated body onto the heat-conducting film and press the heat-conducting film, the heat-conducting plate, and the temperature controller onto the mounting surface in sequence.

2. The heat circulation device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The portion of the radiator body located below the heat insulation frame has a groove, and a sealing ring is provided in the groove. The sealing ring protrudes from the groove near the surface of the heat insulation frame.

3. The heat circulation device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The thermostat is provided with a thermal interface material layer on the first end face of the thermostat near the radiator body and / or the second end face of the thermostat near the heat-conducting plate.

4. The heat circulation device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The thermal circulation device further includes a sensor assembly, which includes a sensor mounting base disposed on the heat sink body and located below the heat conduction plate, a sensor spring seat slidably disposed on the sensor mounting base, a spring disposed on the sensor spring seat and abutting against the heat sink, and a temperature sensor disposed on the side of the sensor spring seat near the heat conduction plate.

5. A thermal cycling system, characterized in that, It includes a heat circulation device and a vacuum device, wherein the heat circulation device is the heat circulation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, and the vacuum device is connected to the first through hole.

6. A biochemical analyzer, characterized in that, The biochemical analyzer includes a heated body and a thermal circulation system as described in claim 5, wherein the heated body is adsorbed onto the surface of the thermally conductive film.

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