A system for measuring the flow rate in a microfluidic pipe having n pressure sensors arranged in series on a pipe and measuring the pressure Pi of the liquid passing through same. These sensors being separated from one another by pipe portions Ri. Each pipe portion having a hydraulic resistance Rhi, thus making it possible to measure the pressure variations or head loss ΔPi between two consecutive sensors of the liquid flowing successively through these hydraulic resistances. The comparison between the estimated flow rates Di=ΔPi/Ri, making it possible to determine the fouling of the microfluidic pipe.
G01F 1/36 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by the use of flow constriction
G01F 1/48 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by a capillary element
G01F 1/88 - Indirect mass flowmeters, e.g. measuring volume flow and density, temperature, or pressure with differential-pressure measurement to determine the volume flow
2.
SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING A MIXTURE OF FLUIDS IN A MICROFLUIDIC CHANNEL AND ASSOCIATED METHOD NOTABLY FOR FORMULATING LIPOSOME-BASED MEDICAMENTS THROUGH THE ALTERNATING INJECTION OF TWO LIQUID PHASES
The invention relates to a system (10) for producing a mixture of fluids, comprising: - a pressure source (11), - a pressure regulator (12), - at least a first container (16.1) containing a first fluid (15.1) and a second container (16.2) containing a second fluid (15.2), - a microfluidic mixer (20), and - a control unit (40) able to control a pressure level of the first fluid (15.1) and a pressure level of the second fluid (15.2) and an opening and closing of the first valve (23.1) and of the second valve (23.2) so as to inject the first fluid and second fluid successively into the microfluidic mixer (20) so as to generate a profile of fringes (F1, F2) of the first fluid (15.1) and of the second fluid (15.2) within the common outlet channel (34).
The present invention relates to a system for measuring the flow rate in a microfluidic pipe, comprising n pressure sensors Ci (C1, C2, ..., Cn) arranged in series on a pipe and measuring the pressure Pi (P1, P2, ..., Pn) of the liquid passing through same, these sensors being separated from one another by pipe portions Ri (R1, R2, ..., Rn-1), each having a hydraulic resistance Rhi (Rh1, Rh2, Rhn-1), thus making it possible to measure the pressure variations or head loss ΔΡi (ΔΡ1, ΔΡ2, ..., ΔΡn-1) between two consecutive sensors of the liquid flowing successively through these hydraulic resistances, the comparison between the estimated flow rates Di = ΔΡi/Ri (D1, D2, ..., Dn-1) making it possible to determine the fouling of the microfluidic pipe.
G01F 1/36 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by the use of flow constriction
G01F 1/48 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by a capillary element
B01L 3/00 - Containers or dishes for laboratory use, e.g. laboratory glasswareDroppers
4.
System for measuring flow of a liquid in a microfluidic circuit by determining gas and liquid pressures
A system to measure the flow rate of a liquid in a microfluidic circuit. The system includes a vessel that is partially filled with the liquid, a gaseous ceiling above the vessel and a pressure regulator to maintain the pressure of the gas in the gaseous ceiling at a predetermined value P1. A capillary pipe to extract the liquid from the vessel and to output the liquid at a pressure P2 lower than P1. A first inlet of the pressure sensor is connected to the gaseous ceiling, a second inlet of the pressure sensor is connected to the capillary pipe, and the outlet of the pressure sensor outputs a signal as a function of the pressure difference (P1−P2), which is a measurement representing the flow rate of pressurized P2 liquid supplied to the microfluidic circuit.
G01F 1/48 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by a capillary element
5.
THERMALIZING MICROFLUIDIC CHIP EMPLOYING VARIABLE TEMPERATURE CYCLES, SYSTEM USING SUCH A CHIP AND PCR METHOD FOR DETECTING DNA SEQUENCES
The present invention relates to a thermalizing microfluidic chip, to a system using such a chip and to a PCR method for detecting DNA sequences. The chip consists of a block of material in which a cavity that is able to contain at least one fluid is located, this cavity including at least one inlet orifice and at least one outlet orifice, the inlet orifice for fluid being connected to at least one and preferably at least two fluid-injecting channels. According to the invention, the chip furthermore includes at least one microfluidic channel for bypassing the cavity, said channel being connected by a first end to at least one of the fluid-injecting channels, the junction between the bypassing channel and the fluid-injecting channel being located at a distance L from the inlet orifice of the fluid-injecting channel, said distance preferably being smaller than 2 cm.
The invention relates to a microfluidic sample chip for testing biological samples, especially for a PCR-type and/or fluorescence assay, in the shape of a hollow block having at least one chamber (45) delimited by an upper wall (44), a lower wall (42) and at least one side wall (43), into which a sample can be introduced for testing. According to the invention, the lower wall (42) of the block is made of a material with a high thermal conductivity and the upper wall is made of a material with a low thermal conductivity and in addition is preferably permeable to radiation in the visible spectrum between 400 and 700 nm, said block having at least two openings (290, 291) through which the sample can be introduced into at least one of the chambers (45) and through which the air present in the chamber (45) can be evacuated when the sample is introduced.
The invention relates to a system for measuring the flow rate of a liquid (3) in a microfluidic circuit (17) which comprises: a vessel (2) that is partially filled with said liquid (3) and having a gaseous ceiling (4) above same; means (1) for maintaining the pressure of the gas in the gaseous ceiling (4) at a predetermined value P1; means (8, 9, 10, 12) for extracting liquid (3) from the vessel (2) and for outputting (10, 12) same at a pressure P2 lower than P1; pressure sensor means (13) of which a first inlet (6, 7, 18) is connected to the gaseous ceiling (4) and of which a second inlet (19) is connected to the pressurized P2 liquid outlet (10, 12), the outlet (14) of the pressure sensor means (13) outputting a signal (15, 16) as a function of the pressure difference (P1-P2), which is a measurement representing the flow rate of pressurized P2 liquid supplied to the microfluidic circuit (17).
G01F 1/48 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by a capillary element
G01L 7/08 - Measuring the steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluid or a fluent solid material by mechanical or fluid pressure-sensitive elements in the form of elastically-deformable gauges of the flexible-diaphragm type
G01L 13/00 - Devices or apparatus for measuring differences of two or more fluid pressure values
The invention relates to a pressure sensor (213) comprising a support (200) in which a flexible membrane (206) is arranged substantially horizontally, bearing laterally on a ring (205), the assembly comprising sensor elements sensitive to the deformation of the membrane (212). According to the invention, the membrane can move vertically under the action of a pressurised fluid, preferably a liquid, applied preferably to the upper surface (231) of the membrane (206), the sensor elements (212) of which can be used to collect an electrical signal that is dependent on the pressure of the fluid. According to the invention, the upper surface (231) of the membrane (206) defines, in the housing of the support (200), the lower face of a cavity (208) into which two different pipes open, namely an inlet pipe (215) and an outlet pipe (216) (or vice-versa) for a fluid, allowing the fluid to flow in contact with the upper surface (231) of the membrane (206). The invention discloses an embodiment of the differential pressure sensor type.
G01L 19/00 - Details of, or accessories for, apparatus for measuring steady or quasi-steady pressure of a fluent medium insofar as such details or accessories are not special to particular types of pressure gauges
G01F 1/38 - Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by using mechanical effects by measuring pressure or differential pressure the pressure or differential pressure being created by the use of flow constriction the pressure or differential pressure being measured by means of a movable element, e.g. diaphragm, piston, Bourdon tube or flexible capsule
9.
LIQUID SAMPLE SUPPORT SUBSTRATE, ASSEMBLY COMPRISING SUCH A SUBSTRATE AND USE THEREOF
The present invention relates to a microstructured substrate for supporting a liquid sample comprising a lower face and an upper face which comprises, on the one hand, at least one surface cavity of volume V0 opening onto said upper face and forming a zone for analysing the liquid sample and, on the other hand, a first groove having a first volume V1, positioned around each surface cavity and opening onto the upper face thereof. According to the invention, this substrate is characterized in that it also comprises at least one second groove (14, 15, 16) opening onto the upper face thereof and positioned around the first groove (13), the sum of the volumes of the second grooves being equal to V2, the volume V1+V2 being greater than or equal to 0.05 V0, preferably 0.1 V0. The invention also relates to an analysis assembly comprising the substrate and the use thereof.
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