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Hydrostatic pressure-driven passive micropumps

Technology Benefits

· Passive: Fluid flow through the chip requires no external energy or actuation. · Steady: Fluid flow is very stable, with <10% fluctuations in flow rate. · Controllable: The flow rate through the device can be tuned from 0.2 – 1.6 mL/min · Long-lived: The autofill function allows for continuous pumping of fluid through the device. · Versatile: The simple system setup and easy adjustability makes the micropump suitable for a wide variety of applications, including incubated cell/tissue cultures and point-of-care testing. · Simple and inexpensive: All pump components are made from common, inexpensive laboratory equipment.

Technology Application

As a passive pump for microfluidic devices, to draw fluid through the device

Detailed Technology Description

Recent advances in biological microelectromechanical systems (BioMEMS) have led to breakthroughs in the field of medical research and diagnostics, where lab- and organ-on-a-chip developments are set to revolutionize point-of-care testing (POCT), 3D cell and tissue cultures, and drug development. Such devices are typically embedded in microfluidic systems, where fluid flow through the device serves as the primary actuator. It is therefore essential that the fluid flow be controllable, continuous, and steady for such applications. Typically, passive micropumps are the preferred method of driving fluid flow due to their low cost and zero power consumption. In passive approaches, fluid flow is most commonly driven by pressure gradients established across the device. These pressure differentials can be established structurally, e.g., by varying the height of the medium, which though simple to implement, does not allow for dynamic control of flow rate. To combat this limitation, researchers at UCI have developed a novel hydrostatic micropump that, in addition to being simple and inexpensive to assemble, allows for dynamic control of the fluid flow through a microfluidic device. The pressure gradients here are established by varying medium height throughout the device, which drives fluid flow from an inlet medium reservoir on one side of the device to an outlet reservoir on the other. The flow rate can be easily tuned from 0.2 – 1.6 mL/min. Additionally, it allows for the medium to be continuously and automatically replenished within the device.

Others

State Of Development

Prototype stage

Tech ID/UC Case

29133/2018-226-0

Related Cases

2018-226-0

*Abstract

Researchers at UCI have developed an inexpensive and entirely passive pump for microfluidic devices, which yields steady, controllable, and long-lived fluid flow through the device.

*Principal Investigator

Name: Abraham Lee

Department:

Name: Xiaolin Wang

Department:

Name: Da Zhao

Department:

Country/Region

USA