Thermal cycler for PCR including temperature control bladder
Methods and devices for performing chemical reactions under controlled temperatures are described. In one embodiment, the devices provided by the invention comprise a housing dimensioned to hold a reaction chamber disposed within an interior volume of the housing. The reaction chamber has thermally conductive interior and exterior surfaces defining an internal volume therein at a first temperature. The device also includes at least one thermally conductive temperature-control bladder disposed therein, which bladder is configured to receive a temperature-control substance at a second temperature into said bladder and expel said temperature-control substance from said bladder. The bladder is further configured such that upon receiving the temperature-control substance, the bladder expands to abut substantially at least a portion of said exterior surfaces of said reaction chamber to enable thermal exchange between said temperature-control substance the said internal volume of reaction chamber.
1. A device for performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), comprising:
a first heater for heating a temperature-control substance to a first temperature;
a second heater for heating said temperature-control substance to a second temperature;
a pump located in between and connected in series with said first heater and said second heater; and
a bladder unit comprising a pair of bladders, each bladder is coupled to a bladder support and is connected to said first and second heaters via different ports,
wherein said pair of bladders are inflatable with said temperature-control substance that controls the temperature of said pair of bladders, wherein said pair of bladders are positioned in a substantially opposing arrangement with a space in between such that both bladders, when inflated, are capable of contacting a reaction chamber placed in said space, and
wherein said pump introduces said temperature-control substance into said pair of bladders at said first temperature and said second temperature alternatively with a regular interval to enable the PCR.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said temperature-control substance is a liquid.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein said liquid is water.
4. The device of claim 1 , wherein said pair of bladders are made from a material selected from the group consisting of silicone, latex, mylar, polyurethane, polypropylene and polyethlene.
5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said first heater is in fluid communication with said pair of bladders through a first branch connection.
6. The device of claim 5 , wherein said second heater is in fluid communication with said pair of bladders through a second branch connection.
7. A heating device for performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR), comprising:
a first bladder;
a second bladder positioned in a substantially opposing arrangement with said first bladder;
a first heater connected to said first and said second bladders via a first port on each bladder;
a second heater connected to said first and said second bladders via a second port on each bladder;
a heat exchanger located between said first and second heaters and connected in series with said first and said second heaters; and
a pump located between and connected in series with said first heater and heat exchanger,
wherein said first and second bladders are inflatable with a temperature-control substance that controls the temperature of said first and second bladders.
8. The heating device of claim 7 , wherein said temperature-control substance is a liquid.
9. The heating device of claim 8 , wherein said liquid is water.
10. The heating device of claim 7 , wherein said first and second bladders are made from a material selected from the group consisting of silicone, latex, mylar, polyurethane, polypropylene and polyethlene.
11. The heating device of claim 7 , wherein said pump is capable of cycling said temperature-control substance reversibly between each of said first and second heaters.