Flow control system for a microfluidic device, microreactor system, DNA synthesis device, and method for controlling a sequence of reactions

A microreactor system comprising:

• a plurality of fluid flow controllers, and wherein each fluid flow controller comprises:
• a controller inlet for receiving a fluid flow,
• a first fluid channel having a first end connected to the controller inlet and a second end connected to a supply channel,
• a second fluid channel having a first end connected to the controller inlet and a second end connected to the supply channel, and
• a valve for selecting the fluid flow to be passed from the controller inlet to the first fluid channel or to the second fluid channel,
• wherein the first fluid channel has a first flow resistance and the second fluid channel has a second flow resistance, and wherein the first flow resistance is smaller than the second flow resistance;
• and
• a microfluidic device comprising a plurality of microfluidic device inlets, each being connected to a supply channel of the plurality of fluid flow controllers such that each fluid flow controller is associated with a respective microfluidic device inlet of the plurality of microfluidic device inlets, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a plurality of reaction chambers having chamber inlets and chamber outlets, wherein each reaction chamber comprises a respective plurality of chamber inlets, and wherein each chamber inlet of a particular reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers is associated with a respective different fluid flow controller of the plurality of fluid flow controllers.

A DNA synthesis device comprising:

• a plurality of fluid flow controllers, wherein each fluid flow controller is associated with a respective microfluidic device inlet of the microfluidic device, and wherein each fluid flow controller comprises:
• a controller inlet for receiving a fluid flow,
• a first fluid channel having a first end connected to the controller inlet and a second end connected to a supply channel,
• a second fluid channel having a first end connected to the controller inlet and a second end connected to the supply channel, and
• a valve for selecting the fluid flow to be passed from the controller inlet to the first fluid channel or to the second fluid channel,
• wherein the first fluid channel has a first flow resistance and the second fluid channel has a second flow resistance, and wherein the first flow resistance is smaller than the second flow resistance;
• and
• a microfluidic device comprising a plurality of microfluidic device inlets, each being connected to a supply channel of the plurality of fluid flow controllers, wherein the microfluidic device comprises a plurality of reaction chambers having chamber inlets and chamber outlets, wherein each reaction chamber comprises a respective plurality of chamber inlets, and wherein each chamber inlet of a particular reaction chamber of the plurality of reaction chambers is associated with a respective different fluid flow controller of the plurality of fluid flow controllers.

A method for controlling a sequence of reactions in a microfluidic reaction chamber, the method comprising:

• in a first step of the sequence:
• controlling a first fluid flow controller to provide fluid flow to a first inlet of a reaction chamber, wherein the first fluid flow controller is controlled to pass fluid flow through a first fluid channel of the first fluid flow controller that has a small flow resistance such that fluid flow is provided in a high flow mode to the first inlet, and
• controlling a second fluid flow controller to provide fluid flow to a second inlet of the reaction chamber, wherein the second fluid flow controller is controlled to pass fluid flow through a second fluid channel of the second fluid flow controller that has a large flow resistance such that fluid flow is provided in a low flow mode to the second inlet;
• and
• in a second step of the sequence:
• controlling the first fluid flow controller to pass fluid flow through a second fluid channel of the first fluid flow controller having a large flow resistance such that fluid flow is provided in a low flow mode to the first inlet, and
• controlling the second fluid flow controller to pass fluid flow through a first fluid channel of the second fluid flow controller having a small flow resistance such that fluid flow is provided in a high flow mode to the second inlet.