Apparatus and method for mixing small liquid volumes, and use of the apparatus

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure reservoir chamber has a larger volume than the substrate chamber with which it is in fluid communication.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the open state and the closed state are the only states of the means for reversibly interrupting the fluid communication between the pressure reservoir chamber and the substrate chamber.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means for reversibly interrupting the fluid communication between the pressure reservoir chamber and the substrate chamber in its open state has a fluid path for the pressurised gas having a cross-sectional area of at least about 1 mm2.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the connector and the means for reversibly interrupting the fluid communication between the pressure reservoir chamber and the substrate chamber comprise no pressure regulating member.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the means for reversibly interrupting the fluid communication between the pressure reservoir chamber and the substrate chamber is the sole means for controlling the flow of pressurised gas between the pressure reservoir chamber and the respective substrate chamber.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pressure reservoir chamber comprises an inlet for pressurised gas, said inlet comprising a valve for closing the inlet, wherein said inlet is optionally independent from the connector.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the substrate chamber of the first and/or the second feed module comprises a means for being opened and closed such as to allow an insertion or removal of the respective flexible container.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conduit for providing fluid communication between the interior space of the flexible container and the first or the second inlet of the static mixer comprises an upstream end connected to the flexible container and a downstream end connected to the first or second inlet of the static mixer, wherein the downstream end is in a higher position than the upstream end.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the static mixer is oriented such that its outlet is in a higher position than its first and second inlet.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outlet of the static mixer is fluidically connectable to a first container for receiving the third liquid, wherein said container is optionally a flexible container.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the internal volume of the substrate chamber of the first feed module is different from the internal volume of the substrate chamber of the second feed module, and wherein the difference of said volumes is a factor in the range from about 1.5 to about 10, or from about 2 to about 5.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the static mixer is made of glass or plastic.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a means for inline particle size measurement of the third liquid.

The apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the flexible container holding the first or the second liquid is tagged with an identification means, and wherein the identification means is optionally an RFID tag.

Use of a pressurised gas for forcing a first liquid to flow from a flexible container into a static mixer where said liquid is mixed with a second liquid such as to form a third liquid, wherein said pressurised gas is provided such as to abruptly exert a pressure of 1 to 16 bar on an outer surface of said flexible container without being in fluid communication with said first liquid.