MIXING OF FLUIDS IN FLUIDIC SYSTEMS

• US 20140272935A1
• Filed: 02/07/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Opko Diagnostics, LLC (Opko Health, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Opko Diagnostics, LLC (Opko Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: LINDER, VINCENT, DIRCKX, MATTHEW, TAYLOR, JASON
• Granted Patent: US 9,588,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/5
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/23 Mixing of laboratory samples e.g. in preparation of analysing or testing properties of materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/20 Mixing gases with liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/40 Mixing liquids with liquids; Emulsifying
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/45 using flow mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/14 Mixing drops, droplets or bodies of liquid which flow together or contact each other micromixers using where the materials to be mixed are in the form of droplets B01F33/302
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3021 the components to be mixed being combined in a single independent droplet, e.g. these droplets being divided by a non-miscible fluid or consisting of independent droplets
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30351 using hydrophilic/hydrophobic surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0673 Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/16 Reagents, handling or storing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/161 Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0694 vents used to stop and induce flow, backpressure valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/084 Passive control of flow resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502746 characterised by the means for controlling flow resistance, e.g. flow controllers, baffles B01L3/502738 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502784 specially adapted for droplet or plug flow, e.g. digital microfluidics automatic analysis using a stream of discrete samples in a tube system G01N35/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/38 Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/386 Other diluting or mixing processes
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/08 using a stream of discrete samples flowing along a tube system, e.g. flow injection analysis

Abstract

Fluidic devices and methods associated with mixing of fluids in fluidic devices are provided. In some embodiments, a method may involve the mixing of two or more fluids in a channel segment of a fluidic device. The fluids may be in the form of, for example, at least first, second and third fluid plugs, composed of first, second, and third fluids, respectively. The second fluid may be immiscible with the first and third fluids. In certain embodiments, the fluid plugs may be flowed in series in the channel segment, e.g., in linear order, causing the first and third fluids to mix without the use of active to components such as mixers. The mixing of fluids in a channel segment as described herein may allow for improved performance and simplification in the design and operations of fluidic devices that rely on mixing of fluids.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

flowing in a channel a series of fluid plugs comprising a first fluid plug comprising a first fluid, a second fluid plug comprising a second fluid, and a third fluid plug comprising a third fluid,

wherein the first fluid plug has a first volume,

wherein the second fluid plug is positioned between the first and third fluid plugs, and

wherein the second fluid is immiscible with each of the first and third fluids;

reducing the first volume of the first fluid plug by at least 50%; and

combining at least a portion of the first fluid into the third fluid plug so as to mix at least portions of the first and third fluids.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein prior to the flowing step, the channel comprises a reagent that is substantially dry, the method comprising contacting the first and/or third fluid with the reagent.

6. A method as in claim 5, comprising contacting the reagent with a fluid, and performing a chemical and/or biological reaction between the reagent and at least one of the first and second components, or a reaction product between the first and second components.

8. A method as in claim 1, comprising reducing the first volume of the first fluid plug by at least 75%.

9. A method as in claim 1, comprising reducing the first volume of the first fluid plug by 100% such that the first fluid is substantially entirely dispersed within the channel.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein, the first fluid and the third fluid are miscible with one another.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first fluid plug comprises a first component and the third fluid plug comprises a second component, the method comprising performing one or more chemical and/or biological reactions involving each of the first and second components.

12. A method as in claim 11, comprising performing a chemical and/or biological reaction between the first and second components.

13. A method as in claim 1, flowing in series a fourth fluid plug comprising a fourth fluid and a fifth fluid plug comprising a fifth fluid along with the first, second and third fluid plugs, wherein the fourth fluid is immiscible with the first, third and fifth fluids.

14. A method as in claim 1, comprising reducing the volume of the third fluid plug.

15. A method as in claim 1, comprising reducing the volume of the third fluid plug by at least 50%.

16. A method as in claim 13, comprising combining at least a portion of the third fluid into the fifth fluid plug so as to mix at least portions of the third and fifth fluids.

17. A method as in claim 1, comprising depositing at least a portion of the first fluid on a wall of the channel during the flowing step.

18. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first and/or third fluid comprises a component for a chemical and/or biological reaction.

19. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first and/or third fluid comprises a wetting agent.

20. A method as in claim 1, wherein the first and/or third fluid comprises a metal salt.

21. A method as in claim 1, wherein the second fluid comprises a gas.

22. A method as in claim 1, wherein the second fluid is hydrophobic.

23. A method as in claim 1, wherein the second fluid is directly adjacent the first and third fluids.

24. A method as in claim 1, wherein the channel has a cross-section comprising a radius of curvature substantially smaller than the half-width of the channel.

25. A method as in claim 1, wherein the channel has a cross-section comprising a radius of curvature substantially smaller than the half-height of the channel.

26. A method as in claim 1, wherein the channel has an average diameter of less than or equal to about 1 mm.

27. A method as in claim 1, wherein the channel, prior to the flowing step, has been subjected to plasma treatment.

28. A method as in claim 1, wherein prior to the flowing step, the first and/or third fluids are stored and sealed in the channel or in one or more branching channels in fluid communication with the channel.

2. A method, comprising:

flowing in series in a channel a first fluid plug comprising a first fluid, a second fluid plug comprising a second fluid, and a third fluid plug comprising a third fluid,

wherein the second fluid is immiscible with each of the first and third fluids,

wherein the second fluid plug is positioned between the first and third fluid plugs, and

wherein the first fluid comprises a first component for a chemical and/or biological reaction and the third fluid comprises a second component for a chemical and/or biological reaction, and wherein the first component is different from the second component; and

depositing at least a portion of the first fluid on a wall of the channel during the flowing step; and

combining at least a portion of the first fluid deposited on the wall of the channel into the third fluid plug so as to mix at least portions of the first and third fluids.

3. A method, comprising:

flowing in series in a channel a first fluid plug comprising a first fluid, a second fluid plug comprising a second fluid, and a third fluid plug comprising a third fluid,

wherein the first fluid comprises a first component for a chemical and/or biological reaction and the third fluid comprises a second component for a chemical and/or biological reaction,

wherein the second fluid is immiscible with the first and third fluids, and

wherein the second fluid plug is positioned between the first and third fluid plugs; and

combining at least a portion of the first fluid into the third fluid plug so as to mix at least portions of the first and third fluids; and

performing one or more chemical and/or biological reactions involving each of the first and second components.

4. (canceled)

7. (canceled)