METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR RAPID THERMAL CYCLING

摘要

The rapid thermal cycling of a material is targeted. A microfluidic heat exchanger with an internal porous medium is coupled to tanks containing cold fluid and hot fluid. Fluid flows alternately from the cold tank and the hot tank into the porous medium, cooling and heating samples contained in the microfluidic heat exchanger's sample wells. A valve may be coupled to the tanks and a pump, and switching the position of the valve may switch the source and direction of fluid flowing through the porous medium. A controller may control the switching of valve positions based on the temperature of the samples and determined temperature thresholds. A sample tray for containing samples to be thermally cycled may be used in conjunction with the thermal cycling system. A surface or internal electrical heater may aid in heating the samples, or may replace the necessity for the hot tank.

主权项

1. An apparatus for thermally cycling a material, comprising:
a microfluidic heat exchanger comprising one or more wells for receiving one or more samples to be thermally cycled and further comprising a porous medium, a first inlet channel, and a second inlet channel; a tank for holding fluid at a first temperature, the tank coupled to the first inlet channel and the second inlet channel of the microfluidic heat exchanger; an electric heater thermally coupled to a top surface of the microfluidic heat exchanger; a pump coupled to the tank; and a controller configured to alternatively configure the apparatus into a heating mode and a cooling mode, wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the electric heater and activate the pump such that the pump pumps fluid from the tank through the first inlet into the porous medium and from the porous medium through the second inlet into the tank when the apparatus is configured in the cooling mode, and wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the pump and activate the electric heater to a second temperature greater than the first temperature when the apparatus is configured in the heating mode.