Microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus using ac electroosmotic flows (ac-eof) and inclined-electrode patterns

Abstract

The present invention provides a microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus using AC electroosmotic flows (AC-EOF) for inducing the mixing of fluid materials flowing in a microchannel and inclined-electrode patterns. The fluid mixing apparatus according to the present invention enables the electrical connection between the respective electrodes arranged inclinedly along a lengthwise direction of a microchannel on an inner bottom wall surface of the microchannel and the power supply unit for supplying AC power is controlled by the controller so that AC power form the power supply unit is applied to the electrodes in two patterns alternately performed over time. Thus, the fluid materials vortically flow in a vertical direction over the respective electrodes while changing their rotational direction over time, leading to a smooth mixing of the fluid materials. Particularly, the present invention enhances the mixing efficiency of fluid materials while employing a simplified electrode arrangement structure.

1 . A microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus using AC electroosmotic flows (AC-EOF) and inclined-electrode patterns to induce the mixing of fluid materials flowing in a microchannel, the apparatus comprising:
 a microchannel formed by bonding a PDMS channel to an ITO glass plate constituting a bottom wall surface, the microchannel having a flow passageway defined therein;   an electrode module disposed on the ITO glass plate in the microchannel and consisting of a plurality of electrodes arranged inclinedly at a predetermined angle in a slash shape along a lengthwise direction of the microchannel;   a power line module consisting of a plurality of power lines connected to the plurality of electrodes; and   a power supply unit connected to the power line module for applying AC power to the electrode module.   
     
     
         2 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the power supply unit applies AC power having a voltage ranging from 3.5V to 4V and a frequency ranging from 650 Hz to 750 Hz to the electrode module through the power line module. 
     
     
         3 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the electrodes constituting an electrode unit of the electrode module has a width ranging from 175 μm to 225 μm. 
     
     
         4 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the electrodes constituting the electrode unit is arranged inclinedly at an angle ranging from 30° to 45° with respect to the lengthwise direction of the microchannel. 
     
     
         5 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the electrode module comprising a plurality of electrode units arranged spaced apart from one another, each electrode unit consisting of four electrodes spaced apart from one another,   wherein the power line module comprising four power lines through which electrodes having the same sequential number in the respective electrode units are connected in parallel with one another, and   wherein the microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus further comprises a controller for allowing two power lines selected from the four power lines constituting the power line module to be connected to one side terminal of the power supply unit, and simultaneously allowing the remaining two power lines selected from the four power lines to be connected to the other side terminal of the power supply unit such that two power lines respectively connected to the one side terminal and the other side terminal are selected alternately over time   
     
     
         6 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the electrode module comprising a plurality of electrode units arranged spaced apart from one another, each electrode unit consisting of four electrodes spaced apart from one another,   wherein the power line module comprising four power lines through which electrodes having the same sequential number in the respective electrode units are connected in parallel with one another, and   wherein the microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus further comprises a controller for allowing two power lines selected from the four power lines constituting the power line module to be connected to one side terminal of the power supply unit, and simultaneously allowing the remaining two power lines selected from the four power lines to be connected to the other side terminal of the power supply unit such that two power lines respectively connected to the one side terminal and the other side terminal are selected alternately over time   
     
     
         7 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the electrode module comprising a plurality of electrode units arranged spaced apart from one another, each electrode unit consisting of four electrodes spaced apart from one another,   wherein the power line module comprising four power lines through which electrodes having the same sequential number in the respective electrode units are connected in parallel with one another, and   wherein the microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus further comprises a controller for allowing two power lines selected from the four power lines constituting the power line module to be connected to one side terminal of the power supply unit, and simultaneously allowing the remaining two power lines selected from the four power lines to be connected to the other side terminal of the power supply unit such that two power lines respectively connected to the one side terminal and the other side terminal are selected alternately over time   
     
     
         8 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the electrode module comprising a plurality of electrode units arranged spaced apart from one another, each electrode unit consisting of four electrodes spaced apart from one another,   wherein the power line module comprising four power lines through which electrodes having the same sequential number in the respective electrode units are connected in parallel with one another, and   wherein the microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus further comprises a controller for allowing two power lines selected from the four power lines constituting the power line module to be connected to one side terminal of the power supply unit, and simultaneously allowing the remaining two power lines selected from the four power lines to be connected to the other side terminal of the power supply unit such that two power lines respectively connected to the one side terminal and the other side terminal are selected alternately over time   
     
     
         9 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the power line module comprises a first power line, a second power line, a third power line and a fourth power line through which first electrodes, second electrodes, third electrodes and fourth electrodes are connected in parallel with one another, respectively, in the lengthwise direction of the microchannel in the respective electrode units constituting the electrode module, and   wherein the controller alternately performs a process of connecting the first power line and the second power line to the one side terminal of the power supply unit and simultaneously connecting the third power line and the fourth power line to the other side terminal of the power supply unit, and a subsequent process connecting the first power line and the fourth power line to the other side terminal of the power supply unit and simultaneously connecting the second power line and the third power line to the one side terminal of the power supply unit.   
     
     
         10 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the electrode module is constructed in such a fashion that the four electrodes constituting the each electrode unit are arranged to have different widths along the lengthwise direction of the microchannel. 
     
     
         11 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the power line module comprises a first power line, a second power line, a third power line and a fourth power line through which first electrodes, second electrodes, third electrodes and fourth electrodes are connected in parallel with one another, respectively, in the lengthwise direction of the microchannel in the respective electrode units constituting the electrode module, and   wherein the controller alternately performs a process of connecting the first power line and the second power line to the one side terminal of the power supply unit and simultaneously connecting the third power line and the fourth power line to the other side terminal of the power supply unit, and a subsequent process connecting the first power line and the fourth power line to the other side terminal of the power supply unit and simultaneously connecting the second power line and the third power line to the one side terminal of the power supply unit.   
     
     
         12 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the electrode module is constructed in such a fashion that the four electrodes constituting the each electrode unit are arranged to have different widths along the lengthwise direction of the microchannel. 
     
     
         13 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 6 ,
 wherein the power line module comprises a first power line, a second power line, a third power line and a fourth power line through which first electrodes, second electrodes, third electrodes and fourth electrodes are connected in parallel with one another, respectively, in the lengthwise direction of the microchannel in the respective electrode units constituting the electrode module, and   wherein the controller alternately performs a process of connecting the first power line and the second power line to the one side terminal of the power supply unit and simultaneously connecting the third power line and the fourth power line to the other side terminal of the power supply unit, and a subsequent process connecting the first power line and the fourth power line to the other side terminal of the power supply unit and simultaneously connecting the second power line and the third power line to the one side terminal of the power supply unit.   
     
     
         14 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the electrode module is constructed in such a fashion that the four electrodes constituting the each electrode unit are arranged to have different widths along the lengthwise direction of the microchannel. 
     
     
         15 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the power line module comprises a first power line, a second power line, a third power line and a fourth power line through which first electrodes, second electrodes, third electrodes and fourth electrodes are connected in parallel with one another, respectively, in the lengthwise direction of the microchannel in the respective electrode units constituting the electrode module, and   wherein the controller alternately performs a process of connecting the first power line and the second power line to the one side terminal of the power supply unit and simultaneously connecting the third power line and the fourth power line to the other side terminal of the power supply unit, and a subsequent process connecting the first power line and the fourth power line to the other side terminal of the power supply unit and simultaneously connecting the second power line and the third power line to the one side terminal of the power supply unit.   
     
     
         16 . The microchannel-type fluid mixing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the electrode module is constructed in such a fashion that the four electrodes constituting the each electrode unit are arranged to have different widths along the lengthwise direction of the microchannel.