P. Rezai, W-I. Wu and P.R. Selvaganapathy
Inexpensive and small-scale microfluidic applications can benefit from a passive microvalve, which this study presents as a flow control device. The device comprises a flow regulating valve and a flow check valve, and can achieve precise forward flow without backward leakage. The flow regulating valve can maintain a steady flow rate over a certain liquid pressure, while the flow check valve enables efficient on/off liquid control. The study employed 3D FSI simulation to investigate the flow performance of the flow regulating valve, and identified key parameters that directly impact its flow rate. A prototype was fabricated using 3D printing and UV laser cutting technologies to assess the device's flow characteristics under different pressures. Experimental results showed that the device achieved a consistent forward flow rate of 0.42 ± 0.02 mL s−1 at an inlet pressure range of 70 kPa to 130 kPa, and stopped liquid flow completely in the reverse mode at a maximum pressure of 200 kPa. The proposed microfluidic flow control device has the potential to be used in cost-effective and portable Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) applications.
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