Mixing of fluids in fluidic systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9588027-B2
Application number	US-201414175044-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 7, 2014
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Mar 7, 2017
Grant date	Mar 7, 2017

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

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, the method comprising:
while the first fluid plug is flowing, depositing at least a portion of the first fluid on a wall of the channel for combining with the third fluid plug;
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, and
after the combining step, flowing in the channel the first fluid plug, the second fluid plug, and the third fluid plug which comprises the third fluid and at least a portion of the first fluid.

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
while the first fluid plug is flowing, depositing at least a portion of the first fluid on a wall of the channel for combining with the third fluid plug; 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, and
after the combining step, flowing in the channel the first fluid plug, the second fluid plug, and the third fluid plug which comprises the third fluid and at least a portion of the first fluid.

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
while the first fluid plug is flowing, depositing at least a portion of the first fluid on a wall of the channel for combining with the third fluid plug, 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
after the combining step, flowing in the channel the first fluid plug, the second fluid plug, and the third fluid plug which comprises the third fluid and at least a portion of the first fluid; and
performing one or more chemical and/or biological reactions involving each of the first and second components.

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

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

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

7. A method as in claim 3 , comprising performing a chemical and/or biological reaction between the first and second components.

8. 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.

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

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

11. A method as in claim 8 , 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

22. 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.

23. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is deposited as a film on the wall of the channel.

24. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the first fluid is deposited as fluid droplets on the wall of the channel.

25. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the combining step occurs while the first fluid plug, the second fluid plug, and the third fluid plug are flowing in series.

26. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the channel is configured to remove at least a portion of the first fluid from the first fluid plug during the step of flowing.

Assignees

• Opko Diagnostics Llc
• Upko Diagnostics Llc

Inventors

• Dirckx Matthew
• Linder Vincent
• Taylor Jason

Classifications

• B01L2200/0673

  Handling of plugs of fluid surrounded by immiscible fluid · CPC title

• B01L2300/0867

  Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution · CPC title

• B01L2400/0487

  fluid pressure, pneumatics · CPC title

• B01L2400/084

  Passive control of flow resistance · CPC title

• B01L2200/16

  Reagents, handling or storing thereof · CPC title