1 Introduction
9
is a nontrivial task as the volumetric flow rates constantly change due to the
resistances caused by the flow of droplets.
In this book, an automatic method for determining droplet sequences is
proposed. In order to cope with the complex flow interdependencies, first, an
abstraction of the droplet flow in the form of a discrete model is presented. This
discrete model approximates the time a droplet requires to pass a channel/module
as a discrete number of time steps and, eventually, allows for formulating the task
of determining a droplet sequence as a combinatorial problem.
The proposed method for determining droplet sequences is based on a twostep approach: First, promising candidates of droplet sequences are determined
on the discrete model. Second, these droplet sequences are validated through
simulations, which consider all interdependencies between droplets.
However, it is not guaranteed that a droplet sequence exists, which would
correctly route droplets along the desired path. For verifying whether droplets
can be routed along all desired paths, this book further proposes a verification
method. This verification method symbolically formulates all possible droplet
sequences on the discrete model and allows for verifying whether there exists a
droplet sequence, which routes the droplets along the desired path.
The details on the discrete model, the droplet sequence generation method, as
well as the verification method are covered in Chap. 8.
Finally, the methods proposed in Part II as well as the dedicated methods for
passive droplet routing proposed in Part III can be combined into a first integrated
design process. In this design process, support for the respective tasks is provided
by the proposed methods. More precisely, first, an application-specific architecture
is determined for a set of experiments using the method proposed in Chap. 7.
Afterwards, the dimensioning of the required components (i.e., channels, modules,
pumps, phases, etc.) is supported by the methods presented in Chap. 4. Using the
obtained specification of the microfluidic network allows to determine a discrete
model, which, afterwards, is utilized to generate droplet sequences and to verify the
microfluidic network using the methods proposed in Chap. 8. Finally, the designer
can use the meander designer tool presented in Chap. 5 to generate parts of the
physical design in an automatic fashion. During all these tasks, the simulation
framework proposed in Chap. 3 is employed to validate (intermediate) results. For
the first time, this yields a complete CAD-supported design process for microfluidic
networks based on passive droplet routing. Details on this design process are
described in Chap. 9.
Overall, this book provides both a comprehensive “toolbox” for designers
working on droplet microfluidic networks in general and an integrated design flow
for the passive droplet routing mechanism in particular. Figure 1.4 summarizes the
resulting methods: At the top, the current problems of today’s design process are
sketched. Then, the generally applicable methods as well as the methods dedicated
9
is a nontrivial task as the volumetric flow rates constantly change due to the
resistances caused by the flow of droplets.
In this book, an automatic method for determining droplet sequences is
proposed. In order to cope with the complex flow interdependencies, first, an
abstraction of the droplet flow in the form of a discrete model is presented. This
discrete model approximates the time a droplet requires to pass a channel/module
as a discrete number of time steps and, eventually, allows for formulating the task
of determining a droplet sequence as a combinatorial problem.
The proposed method for determining droplet sequences is based on a twostep approach: First, promising candidates of droplet sequences are determined
on the discrete model. Second, these droplet sequences are validated through
simulations, which consider all interdependencies between droplets.
However, it is not guaranteed that a droplet sequence exists, which would
correctly route droplets along the desired path. For verifying whether droplets
can be routed along all desired paths, this book further proposes a verification
method. This verification method symbolically formulates all possible droplet
sequences on the discrete model and allows for verifying whether there exists a
droplet sequence, which routes the droplets along the desired path.
The details on the discrete model, the droplet sequence generation method, as
well as the verification method are covered in Chap. 8.
Finally, the methods proposed in Part II as well as the dedicated methods for
passive droplet routing proposed in Part III can be combined into a first integrated
design process. In this design process, support for the respective tasks is provided
by the proposed methods. More precisely, first, an application-specific architecture
is determined for a set of experiments using the method proposed in Chap. 7.
Afterwards, the dimensioning of the required components (i.e., channels, modules,
pumps, phases, etc.) is supported by the methods presented in Chap. 4. Using the
obtained specification of the microfluidic network allows to determine a discrete
model, which, afterwards, is utilized to generate droplet sequences and to verify the
microfluidic network using the methods proposed in Chap. 8. Finally, the designer
can use the meander designer tool presented in Chap. 5 to generate parts of the
physical design in an automatic fashion. During all these tasks, the simulation
framework proposed in Chap. 3 is employed to validate (intermediate) results. For
the first time, this yields a complete CAD-supported design process for microfluidic
networks based on passive droplet routing. Details on this design process are
described in Chap. 9.
Overall, this book provides both a comprehensive “toolbox” for designers
working on droplet microfluidic networks in general and an integrated design flow
for the passive droplet routing mechanism in particular. Figure 1.4 summarizes the
resulting methods: At the top, the current problems of today’s design process are
sketched. Then, the generally applicable methods as well as the methods dedicated