Continuous laminar fluid mixing in micro-electromechanical systems
First Claim
1. A micro-electromechanical system, comprising:
- a first channel configured to carry a first stream of fluid;
a mechanism configured to create pulses in the first stream of fluid;
a second channel configured to carry a second stream of fluid; and
a third channel coupled to the first channel and the second channel to receive the first stream and the second stream, wherein the first stream and the second stream mix in the third channel, and wherein the pulses in the first stream facilitates mixing of the first stream and the second stream.
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Abstract
A micro-electromechanical system and method for continuous laminar fluid mixing. An embodiment of the invention described in the specification includes a mixing channel, a first delivery channel that is connected to the mixing channel, and a second delivery channel that is connected to the mixing channel. A first pump mechanism produces pulses in the first delivery channel. A second pump mechanism produces pulses in the second delivery channel. The first pulsed fluid stream and the second pulsed fluid stream merge in the mixing channel to form a mixed fluid. The pulses in the fluids operate to distort the interface between the fluids to facilitate diffusion between the fluids.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A micro-electromechanical system, comprising:
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a first channel configured to carry a first stream of fluid;
a mechanism configured to create pulses in the first stream of fluid;
a second channel configured to carry a second stream of fluid; and
a third channel coupled to the first channel and the second channel to receive the first stream and the second stream, wherein the first stream and the second stream mix in the third channel, and wherein the pulses in the first stream facilitates mixing of the first stream and the second stream. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A micro-electromechanical system, comprising:
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a first channel configured to carry a first stream of fluid;
a first mechanism configured to create first pulses in the first stream of fluid;
a second channel configured to carry a second stream of fluid;
a second mechanism configured to create second pulses in the second stream of fluid; and
a third channel coupled to the first channel and the second channel to receive the first stream and the second stream, wherein the first stream and the second stream mix in the third channel, and wherein the first pulses and the second pulses distort an interface between the first stream and the second stream to facilitate diffusion between the first stream and the second stream. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A micro-electromechanical system, comprising:
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a first channel configured to carry the first fluid;
a first mechanism configured to create first pulses in the first fluid;
a second channel configured to carry a second fluid;
a second mechanism configured to create second pulses in the second fluid; and
a third channel coupled to the first channel and the second channel, wherein the first fluid and the second fluid mix in the third channel to form a mixed fluid, and wherein the first pulses and the second pulses distort an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid to facilitate diffusion between the first fluid and the second fluid. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of continuous laminar fluid mixing in a micro-electromechanical system that includes a first channel, a second channel and a third channel coupled to the first channel and the second channel, the method comprising:
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producing first pulses in a first fluid carried by the first channel;
creating second pulses in a second fluid carried by the second channel;
merging the first fluid and the second fluid in the third channel, wherein the first pulses and the second pulses distort an interface between the first fluid and the second fluid to facilitate diffusion across the interface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
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27. In a micro-electromechanical system, a mechanism for performing continuous laminar fluid mixing, comprising:
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means for producing first pulses in a first stream of fluid;
means for creating second pulses in a second stream of fluid; and
means for merging the first stream and the second stream, wherein the first pulses and the second pulses distort an interface between the first stream and the second stream to facilitate diffusion across the interface. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification