Disk-Shaped Fluidic Device to Reduce Air Voids in Small-Volume Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
In microfluidic devices, air voids and uneven fluid distribution occur due to resistance from walls, affecting measurement accuracy and efficiency, especially at smaller volumes.
Innovation Solution
A fluidic device with a disk-shaped space and fluid inlet/outlet configurations that introduce and guide fluid in a tangential direction, minimizing air voids and enhancing fluid exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the flow channel device is made smaller to reduce sample volume, then the device can handle smaller liquid samples, but air voids and uneven solution distribution increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs curved flow channel walls with specific radii of curvature (R1, R2, R3) instead of sharp corners. The curved walls guide fluid flow to prevent stagnation and air void formation, ensuring uniform solution distribution even in miniaturized devices handling sub-microliter samples.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different wall curvature radii at different locations within the flow channel. The first wall has radius R1, the second wall has radius R2, and the third wall has radius R3, where these radii are specifically optimized to control fluid flow patterns and eliminate dead spaces in the miniaturized device.
2Quantity of substance
If the flow channel device is made smaller to reduce sample volume, then the device can handle smaller liquid samples, but air voids remain and affect measurement efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The curved flow channel design with optimized radii eliminates dead spaces where air voids would form, enabling complete fluid exchange in miniaturized devices. This ensures efficient fluid turnover and measurement productivity even when handling very small sample volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
By tailoring wall curvatures locally with different radii (R1, R2, R3) at specific positions, the device optimizes fluid flow paths to prevent air entrapment and ensure complete solution exchange, thereby maintaining high measurement efficiency in small-volume applications.
3Device complexity
If fluid is introduced into a conventional flow channel, then the device structure is simple, but resistance from walls causes uneven solution distribution and air void formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces curved walls with specific radii (R1, R2, R3) into the flow channel structure. This moderate structural modification creates favorable flow patterns that eliminate dead spaces and ensure uniform solution distribution, achieving improved measurement precision without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different wall curvature radii at different locations within the flow channel to optimize fluid flow. This localized structural variation addresses the uneven distribution problem caused by wall resistance while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables highly accurate measurements on small sample volumes by ensuring complete fluid distribution and reducing air bubbles, improving measurement efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a fluid inlet configured to introduce the fluid in a clockwise and tangential direction into the disk-shaped space
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a fluidic device including a device main body having a disk-shaped space for containing a fluid; a fluid inlet configured to introduce the fluid tangentially into the disk-shaped space at the 0 o'clock position of a substantially circumferential portion; and a fluid outlet configured to guide the fluid out of the disk-shaped space at the 6 o'clock to 12 o'clock position of the substantially circumferential portion of the space.