9.3 Specifying the Components and Dimensioning the Microfluidic Network
131
9.3 Specifying the Components and Dimensioning the
Microfluidic Network
Next, the specifications of the components used in the architecture (i.e. the modules,
channels, and pumps) have to be determined. Here, the pump, droplet generators,
modules, and bifurcations are implicitly defined by the experiments to be executed
and a variety of physical realizations exists for this purpose.
Example 9.3 Consider again the architecture provided in Fig. 9.3. Choosing the
setting given in Table 6.1 (cf. page 82) as well as respective physical components
yields a partial specification as shown in Fig. 9.4. Here, water is used as continuous
phase, which is driven by a syringe pump producing a constant volumetric flow rate
Q in = 3 μl/min. Furthermore, two droplet-on-demand generators are used to inject
payloads and headers. The operations are realized by the corresponding modules
(denoted by m 1 , h 1 , t 1 , and d 1 ). In order to avoid that operations of modules are
executed on headers, the modules are shielded by a droplet by size sorter [116].
Here, the sorters steer the payloads towards the module and forward headers
through the channels denoted by c 2 , c 8 , c 15 , and c 18 . Finally, two bifurcations (with
successor channels denoted by c 4 , c 5 , c 11 , and c 12 ) are applied in order to realize
the different paths.
Having this partial specification, it is left to define the required connections,
i.e. to properly dimension the channels. Therefore, the automatic dimensioning
method presented in Chap. 4 is used. This method determines fluidic resistances
for the channels, which ensure the desired flow direction through the channels and
modules.
17
Mixing Module
S
S
Q
1
c
3
c
c
6
8
c
h
9
c
10
c
13
c
14
c
15
c
16
c
19
c
1
18
c
7
c
in
Pump
Headers
on
Demand
Payloads
on
Demand
5
Detecting Module
Waste Chamber
Delaying Module
1
m1
d
c
S
S
2
c
Bypass
Bypass
Heating Module
c4
c12
11
c
t1
c
Fig. 9.4 Partial specification of the architecture from Fig. 9.3
131
9.3 Specifying the Components and Dimensioning the
Microfluidic Network
Next, the specifications of the components used in the architecture (i.e. the modules,
channels, and pumps) have to be determined. Here, the pump, droplet generators,
modules, and bifurcations are implicitly defined by the experiments to be executed
and a variety of physical realizations exists for this purpose.
Example 9.3 Consider again the architecture provided in Fig. 9.3. Choosing the
setting given in Table 6.1 (cf. page 82) as well as respective physical components
yields a partial specification as shown in Fig. 9.4. Here, water is used as continuous
phase, which is driven by a syringe pump producing a constant volumetric flow rate
Q in = 3 μl/min. Furthermore, two droplet-on-demand generators are used to inject
payloads and headers. The operations are realized by the corresponding modules
(denoted by m 1 , h 1 , t 1 , and d 1 ). In order to avoid that operations of modules are
executed on headers, the modules are shielded by a droplet by size sorter [116].
Here, the sorters steer the payloads towards the module and forward headers
through the channels denoted by c 2 , c 8 , c 15 , and c 18 . Finally, two bifurcations (with
successor channels denoted by c 4 , c 5 , c 11 , and c 12 ) are applied in order to realize
the different paths.
Having this partial specification, it is left to define the required connections,
i.e. to properly dimension the channels. Therefore, the automatic dimensioning
method presented in Chap. 4 is used. This method determines fluidic resistances
for the channels, which ensure the desired flow direction through the channels and
modules.
17
Mixing Module
S
S
Q
1
c
3
c
c
6
8
c
h
9
c
10
c
13
c
14
c
15
c
16
c
19
c
1
18
c
7
c
in
Pump
Headers
on
Demand
Payloads
on
Demand
5
Detecting Module
Waste Chamber
Delaying Module
1
m1
d
c
S
S
2
c
Bypass
Bypass
Heating Module
c4
c12
11
c
t1
c
Fig. 9.4 Partial specification of the architecture from Fig. 9.3