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Making fluid connections to microfluidic chips is an important aspect of interfacing to peripheral equipment such as pumps, valves and sensors. The Fluence range of products and services includes a variety of options for connecting to stand-alone microfluidic chips, including most commercially available systems such as Cheminert, Omnifit and Swagelok. For ease of connection whilst maximising the visibility of the microfluidic channels, metal tubes and standard polymer barbed fittings are also available. Fluence Interconnection System In addition to providing connections to peripheral equipment, the Fluence Interconnection System (patent applied for) also offers a versatile means for interconnecting multiple microfluidic chips. This enables 2D tiling and 3D stacking of separate microfluidic chips, and greatly enhances overall functionality by building a modular network of microfluidic chips. The modular approach allows the systems designer to build more complex microfluidic processes, where individual microfluidic chips act as building blocks or ‘unit operations’. Where fluid flow rate requirements are larger, the modular approach also enables ‘scale up by scale out’, where multiple microfluidic processes can occur in parallel. The Fluence Interconnection System uses small PTFE ferrules to connect between fluid ports on adjacent chips, where maximum visibility of the microfluidic channels is retained. Fluid flows from a lower chip into an upper chip, before finally returning to the lower chip. In a typical configuration, the lower chip acts as a distribution board or manifold, where the upper chip provides processing functionality. Changing one functional chip with another is a very quick process that enables rapid optimisation of the microfluidic process.
The Fluence Tool Kit is a specific example that offers the benefits of the Fluence Interconnection System through a versatile ‘plug and play’ approach. The pitch of the connection ports together with the mounting hole spacing are designed to provide the means for chip alignment, fluid port interconnection, and simple mounting - all in a single assembly operation. A threaded dowel is incorporated to facilitate alignment, whilst a mounting pin clamps the ferrules and the chips together, forming the fluid seal. Under normal circumstances, threaded dowels are pre-fitted, so in order to assemble a new functional chip, the user simply places ferrules where required, and tightens a thumbscrew.
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Connecting
to Peripheral Equipment
The
illustration shows a large lower chip incorporating mounting holes
for aligning and accommodating a small upper chip. The microfluidic
channels in the lower chip are highlighted, showing a basic mixing
function, where the mixed fluid is split into two streams and fed
to separate inputs in the upper chip. The two parallel streams in
the upper chip provide different delay lengths for investigating the
optimum delay length required for maximum process efficiency.
In
the illustration, the lower chip provides fluid distribution and
the means for connecting to peripheral equipment, whereas the upper
chip functions by mixing the two input streams and passing the mixed
output back to the lower chip.
