Magnetohydrodynamic pump with a system for promoting flow of fluid in one direction
View Patent ↗A magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid. The pump includes a microfluidic channel for channeling the fluid, a MHD electrode/magnet system operatively connected to the microfluidic channel, and a system for promoting flow of the fluid in one direction in the microfluidic channel. The pump has uses in the medical and biotechnology industries for blood-cell-separation equipment, biochemical assays, chemical synthesis, genetic analysis, drug screening, an array of antigen-antibody reactions, combinatorial chemistry, drug testing, medical and biological diagnostics, and combinatorial chemistry. The pump also has uses in electrochromatography, surface micromachining, laser ablation, inkjet printers, and mechanical micromilling.
1. An integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid, consisting of:
a microfluidic channel for channeling said fluid, said microfluidic channel formed in a base,
a magnetohydrodynamic electrode and magnet system operatively connected to said microfluidic channel, and
a nonmagnetic system in said microfluidic channel in said base for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel, said nonmagnetic system being in addition to said magnetohydrodynamic electrode and magnet system.
2. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 1 , wherein said magnetohydrodynamic electrode and magnet system includes a AC source connected to a pair of electrodes and a DC magnet.
3. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 1 , wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel promotes flow in one direction and inhibits fluid flow in the opposite direction.
4. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 1 , wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel includes a microfluidic channel loop connected to said microfluidic channel for at least partially reversing flow of said fluid in said one direction.
5. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 1 , wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel includes system for at least partially reversing flow of said fluid in said one direction.
6. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 5 , wherein said system for at least partially reversing flow of said fluid in said one direction includes means for reversing flow direction by providing a higher fluidic resistance because there are more channels for fluid to flow resulting in net flow in said one direction.
7. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 1 , wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel includes at least one microfluidic loop channel connected to said microfluidic channel.
8. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 1 , including a magnetohydrodynamic chamber with an inlet and an outlet, wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel includes a nozzle-diffuser system operatively connected to said inlet, said magnetohydrodynamic chamber, and said outlet for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction.
9. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 8 , wherein said nozzle-diffuser system acts as a pressure dropper.
10. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 8 , wherein said nozzle-diffuser system includes a first nozzle-diffuser for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction connecting said magnetohydrodynamic chamber with said inlet and a second nozzle-diffuser for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction connecting said magnetohydrodynamic chamber with said outlet.
11. An integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid, consisting of:
a base,
a microfluidic channel in said base for channeling said fluid,
an AC magnetohydrodynamic electrode pair operatively connected to said microfluidic channel,
a magnet operatively connected to said microfluidic channel, and
a nonmagnetic system in said microfluidic channel in said base for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel, said nonmagnetic system being in addition to said AC magnetohydrodynamic electrode pair and said magnet.
12. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said base is composed of silicon.
13. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said base is composed of plastic.
14. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said base is composed of glass.
15. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said base is composed of silicon, plastic, or glass.
16. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said AC magnetohydrodynamic electrode pair comprises a pair of metal electrodes patterned on said base.
17. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said magnet is a DC magnet.
18. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said magnet is a permanent magnet.
19. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel promotes flow in one direction and inhibits fluid flow in the opposite direction.
20. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel includes a microfluidic channel loop connected to said microfluidic channel for at least partially reversing flow of said fluid in said one direction.
21. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel includes system for at least partially reversing flow of said fluid in said one direction.
22. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 21 , wherein said system for at least partially reversing flow of said fluid in said one direction includes means for reversing flow direction by providing a higher fluidic resistance because there are more channels for fluid to flow resulting in net flow in said one direction.
23. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel includes at least one microfluidic loop channel connected to said microfluidic channel.
24. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 11 , including a magnetohydrodynamic chamber with an inlet and an outlet, wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel includes a nozzle-diffuser system operatively connected to said inlet, said magnetohydrodynamic chamber, and said outlet for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction.
25. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 24 , wherein said nozzle-diffuser system promotes flow in one direction and inhibits fluid flow in the opposite direction.
26. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 25 , wherein said nozzle-diffuser system act as a pressure dropper.
27. The integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump of claim 26 , wherein said nozzle-diffuser system includes a first nozzle-diffuser for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction connecting said magnetohydrodynamic chamber with said inlet and a second nozzle-diffuser for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction connecting said magnetohydrodynamic chamber with said outlet.
28. A method of producing an integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid, consisting of the steps of:
providing a base,
providing a microfluidic channel in said base,
providing an AC magnetohydrodynamic electrode pair operatively connected to said microfluidic channel,
providing a magnet operatively connected to said microfluidic channel, and
providing a nonmagnetic system in said microfluidic channel in said base for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel, said nonmagnetic system being in addition to said AC magnetohydrodynamic electrode pair and said magnet.
29. The method of producing an integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid of claim 28 , wherein said magnet is a DC magnet.
30. The method of producing an integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid of claim 28 , wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel in said base promotes flow in one direction and inhibits fluid flow in the opposite direction.
31. The method of producing an integrated microfluidic system that provides a magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid of claim 28 , wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel in said base includes at least one microfluidic loop channel connected to said microfluidic channel.
32. The method of producing a magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid of claim 28 , including a magnetohydrodynamic chamber with an inlet and an outlet, wherein said nonmagnetic system for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction in said microfluidic channel includes providing a nozzle-diffuser system operatively connected to said inlet, said magnetohydrodynamic chamber, and said outlet for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction.
33. The method of producing a magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid of claim 32 , wherein said nozzle-diffuser system promotes flow in one direction and inhibits fluid flow in the opposite direction.
34. The method of producing a magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid of claim 33 , wherein said nozzle-diffuser system act as a pressure dropper.
35. The method of producing a magnetohydrodynamic pump for pumping a fluid of claim 34 , wherein said nozzle-diffuser system includes a first nozzle-diffuser for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction connecting said magnetohydrodynamic chamber with said inlet and a second nozzle-diffuser for promoting flow of said fluid in one direction connecting said magnetohydrodynamic chamber with said outlet.