Berlin 2015 – scientific programme
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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik
CPP 46: P11: Wetting, Micro and Nano Fluidics
CPP 46.12: Poster
Wednesday, March 18, 2015, 10:00–13:00, Poster A
Generation of ultra-stable flows for microfluidic devices — •Annemarie Lüdecke1 and Stefan Diez1,2 — 1B Cube - Centre for Molecular Bioengineering, TU Dresden, Arnoldstr. 18, 01307 Dresden, Germany — 2Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Pfotenhauerstr. 108, 01307 Dresden, Germany
In the fast growing field of microfluidics, pumps are essential elements. Notably, the most common pumping system, the volume-driven syringe pump, has two major limitations: (1) the amount of fluid that can be displaced is limited to the syringe volume and (2) the steadiness of the flow is limited by a combination of the step width of the pump motor and the syringe diameter.
Alternative pumping systems, not facing these limitations, rely on pressure differences. When driven by gas pressure, usually requiring external pressure sources like a compressor or a gas bottle, or by osmotic pressure, these pumps require extensive instrumentalization and are comparatively expensive.
When driven by gravitational forces, these pumps often lack long-term steadiness of flow rates. As the fluid moves from the inlet towards the outlet, the height difference equilibrates and hence the driving force diminishes. Here, we present a novel, low-instrumentalization and low-cost method for maintaining an ultra-stable gravitation-driven flow over extended periods of time.