Pneumatic Valve Controller

What is a pneumatic valve? 

A pneumatic valve used in microfluidics is a valve that is actuated by compressed air to control the flow of fluids like oil or water in microchannels. Due to their ease of control, low power requirements, and compatibility with other pneumatic components like pumps and sensors, pneumatic valves are a popular choice for microfluidic applications. Fluigent valves, for instance, can be easily integrated into setups and controlled in real-time without the need for a PC, allowing users to complexify the fluidic path of any experiment. 

The flexible membrane or diaphragm of a pneumatic valve is typically made of an elastomer or polymer that can be deflected by applying pressure from an external source like an RX pressure source. This deflection opens or closes the microchannel, thereby controlling fluid flow.  

Overall, pneumatic valves offer a versatile and reliable option for precise control of fluid flow in microfluidics. They are commonly used in various fields, including research laboratories, medical diagnostics, and chemical synthesis, due to their minimized reagent consumption, low internal volume, and prevention of cross-contamination and biofilm formation, which help avoid dead volumes. 

What are some common applications of microfluidic valve controllers? 

A pneumatic valve controller is a crucial tool in microfluidics research, allowing for precise control of fluid flow in microchannels. It can be used in lab-on-a-chip devices, cell culture applications, microdroplet generation and organ-on-a-chip devices. These controllers enable the precise control of fluid flow, nutrients, oxygen, and the generation of microdroplets, which have various applications such as drug delivery, diagnostic assays, chemical synthesis, drug testing, and disease modeling. They play a critical role in enabling the development of innovative microfluidic devices for various fields, including biomedicine, chemistry, and engineering. 

How to use the P-Switch in a microfluidic setup  

The P-Switch, a pneumatic valve control system, can be integrated into a microfluidic system by connecting it to a pressure or vacuum source using tubings (able to handle positive pressure up to 2000 mbar and vacuum down to -800 mbar) .Each inlet can be connected a microfluidic path, for instance to a reservoir. It can be used alone or with other LineUP modules that can be connected together. Valves can be switched directly on the module or via the software that enables the automation of protocols and programming of pressure sequences. Finally, up to 32 different outlets can be achieved by combining the P-Switch module with three others. Start your experiment using this module and explore its potential for microfluidic applications.