Method and apparatus for reducing sample dispersion in turns and junctions of microchannel systems
- Danville, CA
- Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
The performance of microchannel devices is improved by providing turns, wyes, tees, and other junctions that produce little dispersions of a sample as it traverses the turn or junction. The reduced dispersion results from contraction and expansion regions that reduce the cross-sectional area over some portion of the turn or junction. By carefully designing the geometries of these regions, sample dispersion in turns and junctions is reduced to levels comparable to the effects of ordinary diffusion. A numerical algorithm was employed to evolve low-dispersion geometries by computing the electric or pressure field within candidate configurations, sample transport through the turn or junction, and the overall effective dispersion. These devices should greatly increase flexibility in the design of microchannel devices by permitting the use of turns and junctions that do not induce large sample dispersion. In particular, the ability to fold electrophoretic and electrochrornatographic separation columns will allow dramatic improvements in the miniaturization of these devices. The low-lispersion devices are particularly suited to electrochromatographic and electrophoretic separations, as well as pressure-driven chromatographic separation. They are further applicable to microfluidic systems employing either electroosrnotic or pressure-driven flows for sample transport, reaction, mixing, dilution or synthesis.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 6270641
- OSTI ID:
- 873908
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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apparatus
reducing
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providing
wyes
tees
produce
dispersions
traverses
junction
reduced
results
contraction
expansion
regions
reduce
cross-sectional
portion
carefully
designing
geometries
levels
comparable
effects
ordinary
diffusion
numerical
algorithm
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evolve
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computing
electric
pressure
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candidate
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transport
overall
effective
greatly
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electrophoretic
electrochrornatographic
separation
columns
allow
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particularly
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chromatographic
applicable
microfluidic
employing
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reaction
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dilution
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