Monocrystalline silicon flow connector and microfluidic system modularly built thereon for feeding a fuel solution to direct methanol fuel cell

摘要

A flow connector for a microfluidic system through which a solution of at least an oxidable compound is fed to a feed manifold (3) of an energy converting electrochemical device (FC) having a flat coupling area with the flow connector is made as a distinct article of manufacture applicable onto the electrochemical device. The flow connector comprisesa monocrystalline silicon platform (1) having at least two distinct channels (5, 6) defined on the bottom side of the platform, on the top side of which a plurality of functional modules (P, C1, C2, C3, V1, V2, V3) of said microfluidic system are fixed in correspondence of respective through holes (7, 8, 9, 10, 11) communicating with a respective channel (5, 6);a first channel (5) connecting two or more of said through holes (7, 8, 9);the second channel (6) connecting two or more other through holes (10, 11);through holes first (9) and second (10), respectively connected to said channels first (5) and second (6), coinciding with a suction port and with a delivery port, respectively, of a micropump module (P) fixed onto the silicon platform (1);at least the through hole (9) coinciding with the suction port of the micropump (P) being connected through said first channel (5) to a through hole (7) coinciding with the outlet port of a first solvent release microvalve module (V1) from a first supply cartridge (C1) and to a through hole (8) coinciding with the outlet port of a second oxidable compound release microvalve module (V2) from a second supply cartridge (C2);upon coupling the channelled (5, 6) bottom side of said silicon platform (1) to said flat coupling area of the device (FC), an inlet of said solution feed manifold (3) coinciding with said second channel (6).;The depleted solution discharge manifold (4) of the device (FC) has an outlet connecting to the first channel (5) of the silicon flow connector (1) and through a fifth through hole (11) coinciding with the inlet of a third solution discharge microvalve module (V3), to a third cartridge (C3) into which bleeding depleted waste solution.