KR100510943B1 - Apparatus for mixing micro quantity of fluid - Google Patents

Abstract

The two fluids are mixed quickly and efficiently using a laminar flow, the flow of fluid through a tube of submicron size.

In a tube of micrometer size or less, the laminar flow, which is a characteristic of the fluid, is divided in the longitudinal direction based on the cross-section of the tube and then merged again to increase the area where the two fluids can meet, thereby spreading the fluid faster. In order to mix the two solutions well, the first and second inlets for the two fluids to be mixed respectively, the mixing section for mixing the two fluids introduced into the first and second inlets, and located in the mixing section and mutual It consists of first and second blocking film which is formed in the fluid passage on both left and right sides while crossing over.

Description

Apparatus for mixing micro quantity of fluid

The present invention relates to a microfluidic mixing device capable of efficiently mixing two fluids using a laminar flow, which is a characteristic of a fluid in a microchannel having a size of micrometer or less.

Along with the development of life science, much attention has been focused on developing technologies that can be used to analyze people's blood or genes, and use them to diagnose and treat cancer, diabetes, and other infectious diseases.

Diagnosis techniques that use body fluids such as blood are mostly analyzed in solution state, and are trying to obtain more biometric information with less body fluid in order to reduce pain of patients.

As part of this effort, lab-on-a-chip technology has emerged. The lab-on-a-chip technology uses a flow of fluid in a microtube having a size of micrometer or less, extracts, purifies, and concentrates a gene required for analysis from a small amount of blood, such as a sample, and reacts it with a specific reagent. It is to obtain the desired biometric information.

However, in a tube of micrometer or less, a unique flow of fluid, called laminar flow, does not cause turbulence, so the mixing of two or more fluids depends entirely on the diffusion of the fluid.

Therefore, in the related art, as shown in FIG. 1, the mixing unit 120 in which the fluids respectively introduced into the fluid inlets 100 and 110 are mixed in a zigzag form has a long length, and the fluid passes through the mixing unit 120. Enough to diffuse and mix.

However, the conventional technique described above has a problem in that the length of the mixing unit 120 increases in the amount of the required fluid and the overall concentration dilution.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a microfluidic mixing device capable of quickly and efficiently mixing two fluids by using a layered flow generated when a fluid flows through a tube having a size of micrometer or less.

The microfluidic mixing device of the present invention having the above object divides the laminar flow, which is a characteristic of the fluid, in a tube having a size of micrometer or less in the longitudinal direction based on the cross section of the tube and then combines the two fluids. By increasing the area they can meet, the diffusion of fluid occurs more quickly, allowing the two solutions to mix well.

Therefore, the minute amount of the fluid mixing device of the present invention, the first and second inlet to each of the two fluids to be mixed, the mixing unit for mixing the two fluids introduced into the first and second inlet, and the mixing unit It is characterized in that it is composed of the first and second blocking film which is located within and intersecting with each other and the fluid passage is formed on both left and right sides.

In addition, the microfluidic fluid mixing device of the present invention includes a lower substrate having a mixing portion for mixing the two fluids introduced with the first and second inlets into which the two fluids to be mixed, respectively, are integrally attached to the upper portion of the lower substrate. An upper substrate having a first inlet, a second inlet, and a mixing portion in communication with the first inlet, the second inlet, and the mixing portion of the lower substrate, and located in each mixing portion of the lower substrate and the upper substrate; It is characterized by consisting of the first and the second blocking film is formed between the cross and the fluid passage on both sides.

The first and second blocking films may be provided in plural in the mixing portion.

Hereinafter, a microfluidic fluid mixing device of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the mixing device of the present invention, Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a coupling configuration of the mixing device of the present invention. Here, reference numeral 200 denotes a lower substrate, and reference numeral 210 denotes an upper substrate positioned on the lower substrate 200. The lower substrate 200 and the upper substrate 210 are glass, polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), silicon wafer, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), epoxy resin Or silicone rubber.

The lower substrate 200 and the upper substrate 210 may include a first inlet 201 and 211 through which a fluid to be mixed is introduced, a second inlet 203 and 213, and a mixing part through which the inflowed fluid is mixed. 205 and 215, and the mixing unit 205 and 215 intersects the flow of fluid and intersects with each other when the lower substrate 200 and the upper substrate 210 are combined with each other. The first and second blocking membranes 207 and 217, respectively, in which the fluid passages 209 and 219 are formed, are provided on both left and right sides of the portion.

Mixing apparatus of the present invention having such a configuration is to place the upper substrate 210 on the upper portion of the lower substrate 200, and bonded integrally. In this case, the bonding between the lower substrate 200 and the upper substrate 210 may be performed after the thermal fusion, the anodic bonding, or the surface oxidation, depending on the material of the lower substrate 200 and the upper substrate 210. Combine them together using a combination or the like.

The mixing apparatus of the present invention, in which the lower substrate 200 and the upper substrate 210 are integrally coupled to each other, when the predetermined fluid is mixed with the first inlet 201, 211 and the second inlet 203, 213. Introduce the two fluids separately.

Then, the introduced two fluids flow into the mixing portions 205 and 215 while flowing through the first inlet 201 and 211 and the second inlet 203 and 213, respectively. (217).

Then, as shown in FIG. 4A, the fluid flowing into the upper side of the first inlets 201 and 211 and colliding with the second blocking membrane 217 flows along the blocking membrane 217 and the second inlets 203 and 213. ) Is mixed with the fluid that flows into the upper side of the) and strikes the second blocking film 217, and the mixed fluid is diffused downward through the fluid passage 219 to the rear of the first blocking film 207.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 4B, the fluid flowing into the lower side of the second inlets 203 and 213 and colliding with the first blocking membrane 207 flows along the first blocking membrane 207 while the first inlet 201 ( 211 is mixed with the fluid flowing into the lower side of the second blocking film 207, and the mixed fluid rises to the rear of the second blocking film 217 through the fluid passage 209 and diffuses.

In the present invention, two fluids respectively introduced into the first inlets 201 and 211 and the second inlets 203 and 213 are introduced into the mixing unit 205 and 215, and thus, the first and second blocking films 207 and 217 are provided. The two fluids collided with each other and mixed are passed through the fluid passages 209 and 219 and then merged with each other while being rapidly diffused so that the fluid is diffused very smoothly, and the two fluids are mixed quickly and smoothly.

Figure 5 is a plan sectional view showing another embodiment of the mixing device of the present invention. As shown therein, another embodiment of the present invention crosses the lower substrate 200 and the upper substrate 210 to each other to form fluid passages 209a, 209b, and 209c, respectively, 219a, 219b, and 219c on both sides. A plurality of first and second blocking films 207a, 207b, and 207c (217a, 217b, and 217c), respectively, were provided.

Another embodiment of the mixing device of the present invention having such a configuration is that the two fluids flowing into the first inlet (201, 211) and the second inlet (203, 213) is as described above the first and second blocking membrane (207a, 217a) (207b, 217b) (207c, 217c) while passing through the position of the mixing and diffusion between each other, thereby better mixing of the two fluids.

Here, the plurality of first blocking films 207a, 207b, and 207c provided on the lower substrate 200 are sequentially arranged in a zigzag pattern, and the plurality of second blocking films 217a, 217b, and 217c provided on the upper substrate 210 are sequentially arranged. ) Is also arranged in a zigzag pattern so that the plurality of first blocking films 207a, 207b, and 207c and the plurality of second blocking films 217a, 217b, and 217c are alternately crossed up and down.

6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the mixing device of the present invention. As shown therein, another embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of first blocking films 207a, 207b, 207c, and 207d and a plurality of second blocking films 217a, 217b, 217c, and 217d in the mixing unit 205 and 215. Are placed vertically with each other staggered.

Here, the plurality of first blocking films 207a, 207b, 207c, and 207d and the plurality of second blocking films 217a, 217b, 217c, and 217d are made of silicon, glass, or polymer from the outside, and then the mixing unit 205, A plurality of substrates each having a first blocking film and a second blocking film, respectively, may be formed by being inserted into and fixed to 215, and the plurality of substrates may be sequentially stacked.

According to another embodiment of the mixing apparatus of the present invention, the two fluids flowing into the first inlets 201 and 211 and the second inlets 203 and 213 are first and second blocking membranes 207a disposed vertically as described above. 217a, 217b, 217b, 207c, 217c, 207d, 217d are mixed and diffused with each other, and the two fluids are mixed smoothly.

On the other hand, while the present invention has been shown and described with respect to specific preferred embodiments, various modifications and changes of the present invention without departing from the spirit or field of the invention provided by the claims below It can be easily understood by those skilled in the art. For example, in the above, the present invention is configured by dividing the lower substrate and the upper substrate so as to facilitate manufacturing, and the present invention can be modified in various ways without being divided into the lower substrate and the upper substrate.

As described above, the present invention mixes two fluids flowing into the first and second inlets, and diffuses the fluid after passing through the fluid passage, thereby smoothly mixing the two fluids, thereby shortening the length of the mixing part. It is also possible to at least reduce the amount of fluid required when mixing the two fluids.

1 is a front view showing the configuration of a conventional mixing device.

Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the mixing device of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a plan sectional view showing a coupling configuration of the mixing device of the present invention.

4A and 4B are views for explaining that two fluids are mixed in the mixing device of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a plan sectional view showing another embodiment of the mixing device of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the mixing apparatus of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawings

200: lower substrate 210: upper substrate

201, 211: first inlet 203, 213: second inlet

205, 215: mixing section 207, 217: blocking film

209, 219: fluid passage

Claims (4)

First and second inlets for respectively introducing two fluids to be mixed; A mixing unit mixing the two fluids introduced into the first and second inlets; And And a small amount of fluid mixing device including first and second blocking membranes positioned in the mixing part and intersecting with each other to form fluid passages on both left and right sides thereof. A lower substrate having a mixing unit for mixing the first and second inlets through which the two fluids to be mixed and the two fluids introduced therein are mixed; An upper substrate integrally attached to an upper portion of the lower substrate and having a first inlet, a second inlet, and a mixing portion in communication with the first inlet, the second inlet, and the mixing portion of the lower substrate; A microfluidic fluid mixing device comprising first and second blocking membranes positioned in respective mixing portions of the lower substrate and the upper substrate, the fluid passages being formed on both left and right sides while crossing each other. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second blocking film; A plurality of fluid mixing device characterized in that a plurality is provided in the mixing portion. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second blocking film; A microfluidic fluid mixing device, characterized in that a plurality of vertically stacked in the mixing portion.