Showing papers on "Microchannel published in 2010"

Continuous scalable blood filtration device using inertial microfluidics

Abstract: Cell separation is broadly useful for applications in clinical diagnostics, biological research, and potentially regenerative medicine. Recent attention has been paid to label-free size-based techniques that may avoid the costs or clogging issues associated with centrifugation and mechanical filtration. We present for the first time a massively parallel microfluidic device that passively separates pathogenic bacteria cells from diluted blood with macroscale performance. The device was designed to process large sample volumes in a high-throughput, continuous manner using 40 single microchannels placed in a radial array with one inlet and two rings of outlets. Each single channel consists of a short focusing, gradual expansion and collection region and uses unique differential transit times due to size-dependent inertial lift forces as a method of cell separation. The gradual channel expansion region is shown to manipulate cell equilibrium positions close to the microchannel walls, critical for higher efficiency collection. We demonstrate >80% removal of pathogenic bacteria from blood after two passes of the single channel system. The massively parallel device can process 240 mL/h with a throughput of 400 million cells/min. We expect that this parallelizable, robust, and label-free approach would be useful for filtration of blood as well as for other cell separation and concentration applications from large volume samples.

Theory and experiments of concentration polarization and ion focusing at microchannel and nanochannel interfaces.

Abstract: In this tutorial review aimed at researchers using nanofluidic devices, we summarize the current state of theoretical and experimental approaches to describing concentration polarization (CP) in hybrid microfluidic–nanofluidic systems. We also analyze experimental results for these systems and place them in the context of recent theoretical developments. We then extend the theory to explain the behavior of both positively and negatively charged, low-concentration, analyte species in systems with CP. We conclude by discussing several applications of CP in microfluidics.

Measuring the local pressure amplitude in microchannel acoustophoresis

Abstract: A new method is reported on how to measure the local pressure amplitude and the Q factor of ultrasound resonances in microfluidic chips designed for acoustophoresis of particle suspensions. The method relies on tracking individual polystyrene tracer microbeads in straight water-filled silicon/glass microchannels. The system is actuated by a PZT piezo transducer attached beneath the chip and driven by an applied ac voltage near its eigenfrequency of 2 MHz. For a given frequency a number of particle tracks are recorded by a CCD camera and fitted to a theoretical expression for the acoustophoretic motion of the microbeads. From the curve fits we obtain the acoustic energy density, and hence the pressure amplitude as well as the acoustophoretic force. By plotting the obtained energy densities as a function of applied frequency, we obtain Lorentzian line shapes, from which the resonance frequency and the Q factor for each resonance peak are derived. Typical measurements yield acoustic energy densities of the order of 10 J/m3, pressure amplitudes of 0.2 MPa, and Q factors around 500. The observed half wavelength of the transverse acoustic pressure wave is equal within 2% to the measured width w = 377 μm of the channel.

Three-dimensional Mach-Zehnder interferometer in a microfluidic chip for spatially-resolved label-free detection

Abstract: Ultrafast laser writing of waveguides in glasses is a very flexible and simple method for direct on-chip integration of photonic devices. In this work we present a monolithic optofluidic device in fused silica providing label-free and spatially-resolved sensing in a microfluidic channel. A Mach-Zehnder interferometer is inscribed with the sensing arm orthogonally crossing the microfluidic channel and the reference arm passing over it. The interferometer is integrated either with a microchannel fabricated by femtosecond laser technology or into a commercial lab-on-chip for capillary electrophoresis. The device layout, made possible by the unique three-dimensional capabilities of the technique, enables label-free sensing of samples flowing in the microchannel with spatial resolution of about 10 μm and limit of detection down to 10−4 RIU.

Inertial microfluidics for sheath-less high-throughput flow cytometry

Abstract: Flow cytometer is a powerful single cell analysis tool that allows multi-parametric study of suspended cells. Most commercial flow cytometers available today are bulky, expensive instruments requiring high maintenance costs and specially trained personnel for operation. Hence, there is a need to develop a low cost, portable alternative that will aid in making this powerful research tool more accessible. In this paper we describe a sheath-less, on-chip flow cytometry system based on the principle of Dean coupled inertial microfluidics. The design takes advantage of the Dean drag and inertial lift forces acting on particles flowing through a spiral microchannel to focus them in 3-D at a single position across the microchannel cross-section. Unlike the previously reported micro-flow cytometers, the developed system relies entirely on the microchannel geometry for particle focusing, eliminating the need for complex microchannel designs and additional microfluidic plumbing associated with sheath-based techniques. In this work, a 10-loop spiral microchannel 100 µm wide and 50 µm high was used to focus 6 µm particles in 3-D. The focused particle stream was detected with a laser induced fluorescence (LIF) setup. The microfluidic system was shown to have a high throughput of 2,100 particles/sec. Finally, the viability of the developed technique for cell counting was demonstrated using SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. The passive focusing principle and the planar nature of the described design will permit easy integration with existing lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems.

High aspect ratio taper-free microchannel fabrication using femtosecond Bessel beams

Abstract: We present a systematic study of femtosecond laser microchannel machining in glass using nondiffracting Bessel beams. In particular, our results identify a source and focusing parameter working window where high aspect ratio taper-free microchannels can be reproducibly produced without sample translation. With appropriate source parameters, we machine channels of 2 microm diameter and with aspect ratios up to 40. We propose the filamentation stability of the Bessel beam propagation as the critical factor underlying the controlled and reproducible results that have been obtained.

Microchannel deformations due to solvent-induced PDMS swelling

Abstract: The compatibility of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) channels with certain solvents is a well known problem of soft lithography techniques, in particular when it leads to the swelling of the PDMS blocks. However, little is known about the modification of microchannel geometries when they are subjected to swelling solvents. Here, we experimentally measure the deformations of the roof of PDMS microchannels due to such solvents. The dynamics of impregnation of the solvents in PDMS and its relation to volume dilation are first addressed in a model experiment, allowing the precise measurement of the diffusion coefficients of oils in PDMS. When Hexadecane, a swelling solvent, fills a microchannel 1 mm in width and 50 μm in height, we measure that the channel roof bends inwards and takes a parabolic shape with a maximum deformation of 7 μm. The amplitude of the subsidence is found to increase with the channel width, reaching 28 μm for a 2 mm wide test section. On the other hand, perfluorinated oils do not swell the PDMS and the microchannel geometry is not affected by the presence of perfluorodecalin. Finally, we observe that the trajectories of droplets flowing in this microchannel are strongly affected by the deformations: drops carried by swelling oils are pushed towards the edges of the channel while those carried by non-swelling oils remain in the channel center.

Experimental Investigation of an Ultrathin Manifold Microchannel Heat Sink for Liquid-Cooled Chips

Abstract: We report an experimental investigation of a novel, high performance ultrathin manifold microchannel heat sink. The heat sink consists of impinging liquid slot-jets on a structured surface fed with liquid coolant by an overlying two-dimensional manifold. We developed a fabrication and packaging procedure to manufacture prototypes by means of standard microprocessing. A closed fluid loop for precise hydrodynamic and thermal characterization of six different test vehicles was built. We studied the influence of the number of manifold systems, the width of the heat transfer microchannels, the volumetric flow rate, and the pumping power on the hydrodynamic and thermal performance of the heat sink. A design with 12.5 manifold systems and 25 μm wide microchannels as the heat transfer structure provided the optimum choice of design parameters. For a volumetric flow rate of 1.3 l/min we demonstrated a total thermal resistance between the maximum heater temperature and fluid inlet temperature of 0.09 cm 2 K/W with a pressure drop of 0.22 bar on a 2 ×2 cm 2 chip. This allows for cooling power densities of more than 700 W/cm 2 for a maximum temperature difference between the chip and the fluid inlet of 65 K. The total height of the heat sink did not exceed 2 mm, and includes a 500 μm thick thermal test chip structured by 300 μm deep microchannels for heat transfer. Furthermore, we discuss the influence of elevated fluid inlet temperatures, allowing possible reuse of the thermal energy, and demonstrate an enhancement of the heat sink cooling efficiency of more than 40% for a temperature rise of 50 K.

Integrated Microfluidic Cooling and Interconnects for 2D and 3D Chips

Abstract: Power dissipation in microprocessors is projected to reach a level that may necessitate chip-level liquid cooling in the near future. An on-chip microchannel heat sink can reduce the total thermal interfaces between an integrated circuit chip and the convective cooling medium and therefore yield smaller junction-to-ambient thermal resistance. This paper reports the fabrication, assembly, and testing of a silicon chip with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor process compatible microchannel heat sink and thermofluidic chip input/output (I/O) interconnects fabricated using wafer-level batch processing. Ultra-small form factor, low-cost fabrication and assembly (system integration) are achieved for 2D and 3D chips, as the microchannel heat sink is fabricated directly on back-side of each chip. Through-wafer electrical and fluidic vias are used to interconnect the monolithically integrated microchannel heat sink to thermofluidic chip I/O interconnections. The feasibility of the novel fluidic I/O interconnect is demonstrated through preliminary thermal resistance measurements.

Entropy Generation Analysis for Nanofluid Flow in Microchannels

Abstract: Employing a validated computer simulation model, entropy generation is analyzed in trapezoidal microchannels for steady laminar flow of pure water and CuO-water nanofluids. Focusing on microchannel heat sink applications, local and volumetric entropy rates caused by frictional and thermal effects are computed for different coolants, inlet temperatures, Reynolds numbers, and channel aspect ratios. It was found that there exists an optimal Reynolds number range to operate the system due to the characteristics of the two different entropy sources, both related to the inlet Reynolds number. Microchannels with high aspect ratios have a lower suitable operational Reynolds number range. The employment of nanofluids can further minimize entropy generation because of their superior thermal properties. Heat transfer induced entropy generation is dominant for typical microheating systems while frictional entropy generation becomes more and more important with the increase in fluid inlet velocity/Reynolds number.

Measurement and modeling of condensation heat transfer in non-circular microchannels

Abstract: Heat transfer coefficients in six non-circular horizontal microchannels (0.424 < Dh < 0.839 mm) of different shapes during condensation of refrigerant R134a over the mass flux range 150 < G < 750 kg m−2 s−1 were measured in this study. The channels included barrel-shaped, N-shaped, rectangular, square, and triangular extruded tubes, and a channel with a W-shaped corrugated insert that yielded triangular microchannels. The thermal amplification technique developed and reported in earlier work by the authors is used to measure the heat transfer coefficients across the vapor-liquid dome in small increments of vapor quality. Results from previous work by the authors on condensation flow mechanisms in microchannel geometries were used to interpret the results based on the applicable flow regimes. The effect of tube shape was also considered in deciding the applicable flow regime. A modified version of the annular-flow-based heat transfer model proposed recently by the authors for circular microchannels, with the required shear stress being calculated from a non-circular microchannel pressure drop model also reported earlier was found to best correlate the present data for square, rectangular and barrel-shaped microchannels. For the other microchannel shapes with sharp acute-angle corners, a mist-flow-based model from the literature on larger tubes was found to suffice for the prediction of the heat transfer data. These models predict the data significantly better than the other available correlations in the literature.

Scale-Up of Microchannel Reactors For Fischer—Tropsch Synthesis

Abstract: The scale-up of a microchannel reactor for Fischer−Tropsch (FT) synthesis has been demonstrated at multiple scales using four reactors with different lengths and number of channels. An FT catalyst provided by Oxford Catalysts, Ltd. was tested in single channel microreactors with catalyst bed length ranging from ∼4 to ∼62 cm. The same catalyst was also tested in a pilot reactor with 276 parallel process channels (∼17 cm in length). Equivalent process performance was observed across each scale as determined by the metrics of CO conversion, selectivity to byproduct, and the chain growth probability (α). The overall C5+ productivity for these reactors of disparate scales spanned several orders of magnitude ranging from ∼0.004 gallons per day (GPD) to ∼1.5 GPD. The operational flexibility of these microreactors was illustrated by varying syngas feed composition and flow sheet conditions (pressure, temperature, dilution, etc.). The elusive premise of numbering up microchannels has been demonstrated, enabling th...

Generation of oxygen gradients with arbitrary shapes in a microfluidic device

Abstract: We present a system consisting of a microfluidic device made of gas-permeable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with two layers of microchannels and a computer-controlled multi-channel gas mixer. Concentrations of oxygen in the liquid-filled flow channels of the device are imposed by flowing gas mixtures with desired oxygen concentrations through gas channels directly above the flow channels. Oxygen gradients with different linear, exponential, and non-monotonic shapes are generated in the same liquid-filled microchannel and reconfigured in real time. The system can be used to study directed migration of cells and the development of cell and tissue cultures under gradients of oxygen.

Volume of fluid simulation of boiling two-phase flow in a vapor-venting microchannel

Abstract: Vapor-venting microchannel heat exchangers are promising because they address the problems of high pressure drop, flow instability, and local dryout that are common in conventional two-phase microchannel heat sinks. We present a 3D numerical simulation of the vapor-venting process in a rectangular microchannel bounded on one side by a hydrophobic porous membrane for phase-separation. The simulation is based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method together with models for interphase mass transfer and capillary force. Simulation shows the vapor-venting mechanism can effectively mitigate the vapor accumulation issue, reduce the pressure drop, and suppress the local dry-out in the microchannel. Pressure surge is observed in the vapor-venting channel. The simulation provides some insight into the design and optimization of vapor-venting heat exchangers.

Label-Free Biomarker Sensing in Undiluted Serum with Suspended Microchannel Resonators

Abstract: Improved methods are needed for routine, inexpensive monitoring of biomarkers that could facilitate earlier detection and characterization of cancer. Suspended microchannel resonators (SMRs) are highly sensitive, batch-fabricated microcantilevers with embedded microchannels that can directly quantify adsorbed mass via changes in resonant frequency. As in other label-free detection methods, biomolecular measurements in complex media such as serum are challenging due to high background signals from nonspecific binding. In this report, we demonstrate that carboxybetaine-derived polymers developed to adsorb directly onto SMR SiO2 surfaces act as ultralow fouling and functionalizable surface coatings. Coupled with a reference microcantilever, this approach enables detection of activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM), a model cancer biomarker, in undiluted serum with a limit of detection of 10 ng/mL.

Effect of viscosities of dispersed and continuous phases in microchannel oil-in-water emulsification

Abstract: Although many aspects of microchannel emulsification have been covered in literature, one major uncharted area is the effect of viscosity of both phases on droplet size in the stable droplet generation regime It is expected that for droplet formation to take place, the inflow of the continuous phase should be sufficiently fast compared to the outflow of the liquid that is forming the droplet The ratio of the viscosities was therefore varied by using a range of continuous and dispersed phases, both experimentally and computationally At high viscosity ratio (ηd/ηc), the droplet size is constant; the inflow of the continuous phase is fast compared to the outflow of the dispersed phase At lower ratios, the droplet diameter increases, until a viscosity ratio is reached at which droplet formation is no longer possible (the minimal ratio) This was confirmed and elucidated through CFD simulations The limiting value is shown to be a function of the microchannel design, and this should be adapted to the viscosity of the two fluids that need to be emulsified

Technique for Real-Time Measurements of Endothelial Permeability in a Microfluidic Membrane Chip Using Laser-Induced Fluorescence Detection

Abstract: Characterizing permeability of the endothelium that lines blood vessels and heart valves provides fundamental physiological information and is required to evaluate uptake of drugs and other biomolecules. However, current techniques used to measure permeability, such as Transwell insert assays, do not account for the recognized effects of fluid flow-induced shear stress on endothelial permeability or are inherently low-throughput. Here we report a novel on-chip technique in a two-layer membrane-based microfluidic platform to measure real-time permeability of endothelial cell monolayers on porous membranes. Bovine serum albumin (a model protein) conjugated with fluorescein isothiocyanate was delivered to an upper microchannel by pressure-driven flow and was forced to permeate a poly(ethylene terephthalate) membrane into a lower microchannel, where it was detected by laser-induced fluorescence. The concentration of the permeate at the point of detection varied with channel flow rates in agreement to less tha...