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Miniaturized temperature-zone flow reactor

  • US 6,896,855 B1
  • Filed: 02/10/1999
  • Issued: 05/24/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A miniaturized temperature-zone flow reactor, for use in thermally controlled biochemical and molecular-biological processes, said reactor comprising:

  • at least one closed, multifold, winding flow path, each comprising a plurality of microstructured channels and at least three partial paths, in a planar substrate;

    three substrate chips, made from a material having a thermal conductivity at least as high as that of silicon;

    each one of said three substrate chip having at least one face, of which at least a portion thereof contains some of said plurality of microstructured channels;

    heating elements, on each of said three substrate chips, for providing heating to at least that portion of each said substrate chip containing some of said plurality of microstructured channels;

    a first one of said substrate chips having a plurality of inlets thereon, corresponding in number to a number of flow paths on said substrate chip;

    a third one of said substrate chips having a plurality of outlets thereon, corresponding in number to a number of flow paths on said substrate chip;

    each of said three substrate chips having n channel sections, each of said n channel sections having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, such that said inlet opening and said outlet opening of each said channel are linearly positioned adjacent to one another on one side of a section of each said substrate chip;

    a connecting chip, having a thermal conductivity that is lower than the thermal conductivity of said substrate chips, and is at least as low as that of borosilicate glass;

    said connecting chip further having;

    a first face, opposite to said heating elements, on which said first substrate chip and said third substrate chip are positioned, said first substrate chip and said third substrate chip being spaced apart from one another on said first face of said connecting chip;

    a plurality of first passage openings on its said first face, each said first passage opening leading to a corresponding passage extending through said connecting chip;

    a plurality of second passage openings, corresponding in total number to the total number of said plurality of first passage openings, in a second, opposite face of said connecting chip, such that each said second passage opening is in fluid transporting communication with a corresponding one of said first passages; and

    still further such that;

    said inlet openings and said outlet openings of said first substrate chip and said third substrate chip are in fluid transporting communication with said first passage openings; and

    said second passage openings of said connecting chip are connected to one another by some of said microstructured channels in a second one of said three substrate chips, to form said partial paths on said second substrate chip, such that one closed flow path, having n passages through said three substrate chips is formed.

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