Microvalve having magnetic wax plug and flux control method using magnetic wax
View Patent ↗Provided is a microvalve having a magnetic wax plug which includes a micro fluidic structure having an inlet portion and an outlet portion, a magnetic wax plug provided at a predetermined section where the inlet portion and the outlet portion meet, existing in a solid state, melted at a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature, and reversibly moving along a magnetic field, so as to control flux of a fluid through the micro fluidic structure, a heating portion provided corresponding to the section and heating the magnetic wax plug to be melted, and a magnetic field application portion selectively applying a magnetic field to a position where the melted magnetic wax plug arrives.
1. A method for controlling flux of a fluid in a micro fluidic structure by applying heat to a solid wax in the micro fluidic structure to move in a melted state, the method comprising:
preparing a magnetic wax formed of a homogenous mixture of a ferrofluid and the solid wax and arranging the magnetic wax in a predetermined section of the micro fluidic structure; and
controlling flux of the fluid by melting the magnetic wax by applying heat to the section and moving the magnetic wax by applying a magnetic field to a position where the melted magnetic wax arrives.