Thermal Device, System, and Method, for Fluid Processing Device

Abstract

A device, system, and method are provided for thermally treating a fluid processing device. According to various embodiments, a system is provided that can include a thermal device and a fluid processing device holder. The thermal device can include a first block having a thermal conductivity greater than 0.5 Watt per centimeter Kelvin (W/cm·K), a second block having a thermal conductivity greater than 0.5 W/cm·K, and a heat-pump device disposed between the first block and the second block. The heat-pump device can transfer thermal energy from at least one of the first block and the second block to the other of the first block and the second block. The fluid processing device holder can hold a fluid processing device in a heat-transfer position with respect to the first block and the second block. The fluid processing device can be a microfluidic device.

1 . A system comprising:
 one or more thermal devices, each thermal device comprising:
 a first block having a thermal conductivity greater than 0.5 Watts per centimeter Kelvin (W/cm·K), 
 a second block having a thermal conductivity greater than 0.5 W/cm·K, and 
 a heat-pump device disposed adjacent the first block and the second block, and adapted to transfer thermal energy from at least one of the first block and the second block to the other of the first block and the second block; and 
   a fluid processing device holder adapted to hold a fluid processing device in a heat-transfer position with respect to the first block and the second block.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a control device adapted to control the heat-pump device to provide the first block with a temperature that is greater than the temperature of the second block. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the control device is adapted to control the heat-pump device to transfer heat from the first block to the second block and to transfer heat from the second block to the first block. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the control device is adapted to control the temperature of the first block to be at least about 15° C. greater than the temperature of the second block. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the control device is adapted to control the temperature of the first block to be at least about 40° C. greater than the temperature of the second block. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the control device is adapted to control the heat-pump device to heat the first block to about 95° C. and to control the heat-pump device to keep the temperature of the second block to be less than about 50° C. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the heat-pump device includes electrodes and a bi-direction power supply electrically connected to the electrodes, and the control device is adapted to control a direction of the thermal transfer between the first block and the second block by inverting a Voltage potential supplied by the bi-directional power supply. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the control device includes a computer system. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump device is disposed between the first block and the second block. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the control device is adapted to cycle a temperature of the first block from a first temperature to a second temperature, and back to the first temperature. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heat-pump device comprises a thermoelectric device. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a fluid processing device, wherein the fluid processing device includes an operative surface in thermal contact with both the first block and the second block, in a heat-transfer position, the thermoelectric device includes an active surface, and the operative surface is disposed transverse to the active surface in the heat-transfer position when the fluid processing device is held by the fluid processing device holder. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the fluid processing device and the thermoelectric device do not physically contact one another when a fluid processing device is held by the device holder. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first block and the second block comprises a surface, and the thermal device further comprises a thermal interface material disposed in contact with the surface. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the thermal interface material comprises a material compressible to about 90% of an uncompressed thickness under an executed pressure of at least one pound per square inch. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first block includes a first heat-transfer surface and the second block includes a second heat-transfer surface, and the first heat-transfer surface and the second heat-transfer surface are co-planar with one another. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first block includes a first heat-transfer surface and the second block includes a second heat-transfer surface, and the first heat-transfer surface and the second heat-transfer surface are offset with respect to one another. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the thermal device further comprises a thermal interface material disposed on the second heat transfer surface. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one heat sink in thermal contact with at least one of the first block and the second block. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one fan adapted to create an air-current in thermal contact with at least one of the first block and the second block. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one temperature sensor in thermal contact with at least one of the first block and the second block. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pressing device adapted to force at least one of the first block and the second block into thermal contact with a fluid processing device when a fluid processing device is held by the fluid processing device holder. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an alignment device to operatively position the fluid processing device holder and the heat-transfer device with respect to one another. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid processing device holder comprises a plurality of fluid processing device holders. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more thermal devices comprises a plurality of thermal devices. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a rotatable platen, wherein the fluid processing device holder is disposed on or in the rotatable platen. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid processing device holder includes a heat-generating device. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid processing device holder includes a thermal insulator. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a platform, wherein the thermal device and the fluid processing device holder are supported by the platform. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid processing device held by the fluid processing device holder, and a thermally insulating blanket, wherein the fluid processing device is disposed between the thermal device and the thermally insulating blanket. 
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second thermal device comprising:
 a third block having a thermal conductivity greater than 0.5 W/cm·K, 
 a fourth block having a thermal conductivity greater than 0.5 W/cm·K, and 
 a second heat-pump device disposed between the third block and the fourth block, the second heat-pump device being adapted to transfer thermal energy from at least one of the third block and the fourth block to the other of the third block and the fourth block. 
   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal device further comprises a third block having a thermal conductivity greater than 0.5 W/cm·K and a second heat-pump device disposed between the first block and the third block, the second heat-pump device being adapted to transfer thermal energy from at least one of the first block and the third block to the other of the first block and the third block. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , further comprising a control device adapted to control the heat-pump device to provide the first block with a temperature that is greater than the temperature of the third block. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fluid processing device held by the fluid processing device holder, the fluid processing device comprising at least one fluid processing pathway including at least a first fluid retainment region, a second fluid retainment region, and a fluid communication between the first fluid retainment region and the second fluid retainment region;
 wherein the first fluid retainment region is operatively positioned in the heat-transfer position with respect to the first block, and the second fluid retainment region is operatively positioned in the heat-transfer position with respect to the second block.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein a first thermal conductance between the first fluid retainment region and the second fluid retainment region is less than a thermal conductance between the first fluid retainment region and the first block, and the first thermal conductance is less than a thermal conductance between the second fluid retainment region and the second block. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising a heat-generating device in thermal contact with the first fluid retainment region. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising a fluid movement device adapted to transfer a fluid from the first fluid retainment region to the second fluid retainment region via the fluid communication. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising a valve manipulation device, wherein the fluid processing device further includes a valve between the first fluid retainment region and the second fluid retainment region, and the valve manipulation device is adapted to open and close the valve. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the at least one fluid processing pathway comprises a plurality of fluid processing pathways each including a respective first fluid retainment region, a respective second fluid retainment region, and a respective fluid communication between the respective first and second fluid retainment regions, and wherein the plurality of first fluid retainment regions are aligned linearly with respect to each other. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the second fluid retainment region comprises a plurality of second fluid retainment regions aligned linearly with respect to each other. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the fluid processing device comprises a microfluidic device.