Microfluidic Fluid Control Apparatus with Segmented Filtration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Microfluidic devices face challenges in efficiently capturing and cleaning target materials, such as cancer cells, due to contamination from blood components like RBCs, WBCs, and plasma, which can lead to clogging and loss of target materials during filtration.
Innovation Solution
A fluid controlling apparatus with multiple chambers, ports, and pumps that includes a filter portion with multiple filter units and a cleaning system to filter and clean the fluid path, using pressure control and valve management to ensure efficient passage and cleaning of target materials without loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If filtration is performed to capture target materials, then target material capture efficiency is improved, but clogging and loss of target materials occur due to contamination from blood components
Solution Approach 1:
The filtration system is divided into multiple filtration chambers (first, second, third filtration chambers) with multiple filtration membranes arranged in series. This segmentation allows progressive filtering of blood components at different stages, preventing clogging of individual membranes while maintaining high capture efficiency for target materials like cancer cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus performs preliminary filtration of large blood components (RBCs, WBCs) before the target materials reach the main filtration membranes. This preliminary action removes contaminants that would cause clogging, allowing the subsequent filtration stages to focus on capturing target materials without loss.
2Productivity
If multiple filtration membranes are used to improve filtering efficiency, then target material capture is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each filtration chamber serves multiple functions: filtering specific blood components, capturing target materials, and allowing backflow of filtered fluid. The same structural design is repeated across multiple chambers, creating a universal module that simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining high filtering efficiency through parallel processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The filtration membranes are nested within chambers that are themselves nested within the overall apparatus structure. Multiple filtration membranes are arranged in series within connected chambers, creating a nested configuration that maximizes filtering capacity within a compact volume, reducing device complexity compared to distributed separate systems.
3Reliability
If cleaning solution is passed through the path to clean the apparatus, then contamination is removed, but target materials may be lost during cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The captured target materials are extracted from the filtration membranes and transferred to a collection chamber before the cleaning process begins. This extraction separates the valuable target materials from the filtration path, allowing the cleaning solution to flush through the membranes and channels without contacting or losing the target materials.
Solution Approach 2:
The target materials are preliminarily collected and secured in a protected chamber before the cleaning operation commences. This preliminary action ensures that when the cleaning solution is introduced to remove contamination from the filtration path, the target materials are already safely stored and cannot be lost during the cleaning process.
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 apparatus effectively captures target materials while minimizing contamination and clogging, ensuring high efficiency and accuracy in filtering and cleaning processes, even for rare cells like CTCs, by using a combination of filter units and cleaning solutions to manage fluid flow and pressure.
Implementation Method 1
a first pump connected to the filter portion and applying a pressure
Implementation Method 2
a filter portion connected to the first multi-port through a third channel and filtering the target materials
Implementation Method 3
a second pump connected to the washing chamber and applying a pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid controlling apparatus including at least one sample chamber for holding a fluid containing target materials; a cleaning chamber for holding a cleaning solution; a first multi-port connected to the at least one sample chamber through a first channel and connected to the cleaning chamber through a second channel; a filter portion, connected to the first multi-port through a third channel, for filtering the target materials; and a first pump, connected to the filter portion, for applying a pressure; and a method of controlling a fluid using the fluid controlling apparatus, which comprises passing the fluid containing the target materials from the at least one sample chamber to the filter portion; and cleaning a path of the fluid by passing the cleaning solution through the path.