Flow Stabilized Chip Buffering Chamber for Droplet Size Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional droplet generating systems face instability due to external environmental disturbances, leading to inconsistent droplet size and phase, which affects the quality of produced materials and test success rates.
Innovation Solution
A flow stabilized chip with a buffering chamber and elastic membranes is used in conjunction with a droplet generating system, where the elastic membranes expand and recover to stabilize fluid flow rates, and a peristaltic pump ensures continuous and stable droplet production.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a syringe pump is used to drive fluid for droplet generation, then droplets can be continuously prepared with stable size and uniform phase, but the liquid output is temporarily interrupted during replenishment, affecting droplet stability
Solution Approach 1:
The buffering chamber is pre-filled with liquid before the droplet generation process begins. This preliminary action ensures that when the syringe pump needs to be replenished, the buffering chamber already contains sufficient liquid to maintain continuous droplet generation without interruption, thereby resolving the contradiction between manufacturing precision and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The buffering chamber acts as a cushion that stores excess liquid in advance. When the syringe pump is temporarily stopped for replenishment, the buffering chamber compensates for the interruption by continuing to supply liquid to the droplet generation interface, maintaining droplet stability and preventing system failure
2Productivity
If conventional droplet generating systems are used, then droplets can be produced, but external environmental disturbances cause flow rate fluctuations, leading to inconsistent droplet size and phase
Solution Approach 1:
The buffering chamber serves as an intermediary between the syringe pump and the droplet generation interface. It isolates the droplet generation process from external environmental disturbances by decoupling the two systems, allowing the droplet interface to maintain stable flow rates even when external conditions fluctuate, thereby ensuring droplet size consistency
Solution Approach 2:
The buffering chamber provides a cushioning effect that dampens flow rate fluctuations before they reach the droplet generation interface. By absorbing and smoothing out disturbances in advance, it ensures consistent droplet formation despite external environmental variations
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
The system effectively reduces flow rate fluctuations, enabling the production of droplets with stable size and uniform phase, enhancing the stability and quality of the output, and reducing waste and costs.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic membranes expand and recover to stabilize fluid flow rates
Data Source
AI summary
A flow stabilized chip includes a chip mainbody, a buffering chamber and two fluid delivery ports. The chip mainbody has a pipe-connection surface. The buffering chamber is disposed in the chip mainbody. The two fluid delivery ports are disposed on the pipe connection surface and connected to the buffering chamber. The chip mainbody includes, in order from the pipe-connection surface to a bottom of the chip mainbody, a first base plate, a first elastic membrane, a second base plate, a second elastic membrane and a third base plate. The first base plate includes a first opening. The second base plate includes a second opening. The third base plate includes a third opening. The first elastic membrane, the second base plate and the second elastic membrane are stacked in sequence to form the buffering chamber.