Stopping microfluidic flow

TL;DR

This study compares three stop-flow microfluidic configurations, demonstrating that minimal circuit compliance yields the lowest residual velocities, with implications for rapid flow cessation in microfluidic systems.

Contribution

It provides a systematic comparison of stop-flow methods and introduces a numerical model linking circuit compliance to residual velocities.

Findings

LSF outperforms other configurations in high resistance channels

Residual velocities are primarily due to circuit compliance

Numerical model accurately predicts residual flow distances

Abstract

We present a cross-comparison of three stop-flow configurations--such as low-pressure (LSF), high-pressure open-circuit (OC-HSF), and high-pressure short-circuit (SC-HSF) stop-flow--to rapidly bring a high flow velocity within a microchannel to a standstill. The average velocities inside the microchannels were reduced from > 1 m/s to < 10 um/s within 2s of initiating the stop-flow. The performance of the three stop-flow configurations was assessed by measuring the residual flow velocities within microchannels having three orders-of-magnitude different flow resistances. The LSF configuration outperformed the OC-HSF and SC-HSF configurations within the high flow resistance microchannel, and resulted in a residual velocity of < 10 um/s. The OC-HSF configuration resulted in a residual velocity of < 150 um/s within a low flow resistance microchannel. The SC-HSF configuration resulted in a residual velocity of < 200 um/s across the three orders-of-magnitude different flow resistance microchannels, and < 100 um/s for the low flow resistance channel. We hypothesized that the residual velocity resulted from the compliance in the fluidic circuit, which was further investigated by varying the elasticity of the microchannel walls and the connecting tubing. A numerical model was developed to estimate the expanded volumes of the compliant microchannel and connecting tubings under a pressure gradient and to calculate the distance traveled by the sample fluid. A comparison of the numerically and experimentally obtained traveling distances confirmed our hypothesis that the residual velocities were an outcome of the compliance in the fluidic circuit. Therefore, a configuration with minimal fluidic circuit compliance resulted in the least residual velocity.