SFC Fluidics

Introducing the Model 190 Solvent Delivery System

This tiny pump has a footprint of less than 2 in² and delivers truly pulse-free flow in the challenging 250 nL/min to 10 µL/min flow rate regime. ePump^® is also ideal for dispensing applications and can deliver discrete volumes of fluid from 100 nL to 90 µL. Its small footprint, smooth flow, high precision, and affordability make this little pump perfect for microfluidic and lab-on-chip applications as well as micro-assay systems. The intuitive, user-friendly controller can be tailored to your application with options ranging from full user control of the flow rate and dispense volume to factory pre-set flow rates or dispense volumes.

How it works: The ePump^® product line offers an unrivaled combination of truly pulse-free precise flow, small footprint, low power requirements, and affordability. The pumping mechanism, common to all ePump^® products, utilizes a patented non-mechanical means for precisely moving very small amounts of fluid. Low voltage or current drives a pumping fluid across a selective membrane. This, in turn, causes an elastic diaphragm to expand and push a controlled amount of fluid to your microfluidic application. The result is very precise and pulse-free flow using a pump that is compatible with a wide range of biological and chemical reagents and solvents.

In Development

Remotely controlled ePump^® for animal research:

There are an enormous variety of market applications for ePump^® due to its small size and configurable shape. For example, drug discovery and development requires a significant amount of animal research. To determine their pharmacological and toxicological effects, drugs are currently administered into animal bodies using syringe pumps and delivery tubes that are tethered to an animal arrested within a container. The current animal research protocol is resource-intensive and complicated. SFC has developed a prototype animal backpack ePump that is barely larger than a stack of 10 nickels. It can be worn by a lab rat and controlled wirelessly so that the entire protocol of delivery and continuous monitoring of drug effects can be carried out on an awake, freely-mobile animal.

Disposable ePump:

SFC Fluidics is developing a low-cost disposable ePump^® to be used for drug delivery, storage and dispensing of biological materials, and other healthcare-related applications.

OEM Opportunities

SFC Fluidics's user-programmable OEM controller is in alpha-testing. This multichannel controller will control up to 8 pumps at one time and has DIO to control valves or other non-pumping components. An attractive and useful feature of ePump is that it can be made into any shape or size. Many fluid dispensing applications use multiple pumps operating at different conditions. When assembled with 4-8 syringe pumps, multichannel controller, connectors, tubing and reservoir, an entire setup can require a large amount of space. A stacked set of four SFC Fluidics' ePump^® microfluidic pumps, on the other hand, offers higher precision flow while requiring much less space, ~80% less power and ~40% reduced cost compared to using currently available syringe pumps.

ePump^® FAQs

1. What is meant by the stroke volume of the ePump?  The stroke volume of the ePump is the amount of fluid that the ePump can expel before it has to refill.  Much like the syringe on a syringe pump, the ePump moves a finite amount of fluid in one direction. Through the use of external valving, the ePump refills as it reverses and is ready to run again as soon as the refill is over.
2. Many mechanical pumps claim to be pulseless.  What makes the ePump truly pulse free?   Only non-mechanical pumps can be truly pulse free.  Several mechanical pumps designers have implemented strict engineering tolerances and optimized systems to minimize the effect of the inherent pulses in the system, but it is very difficult to eliminate all pulsation from a mechanized pump. The ePump, on the other hand, uses the directional movement of molecules to generate flow.  There are no efforts made to dampen the inherent pulses, there simply are no inherent pulses.  Truly pulse-free flow is especially important at very low flow rates also achievable using the ePump system.
3. Will the pumping fluid interfere with the liquids that I am pumping?  No, SFC’s proprietary pump fluid is internal to the ePump and is completely separated from your fluid by an impermeable flexible diaphragm.  This diaphragm translates the force from our fluid to yours with no possibility of contamination.  Our pump fluid is completely sealed; you will never come in contact with our pump fluid.
4. Can I run the pumps in series or in parallel to enhance the flow capabilities of the ePump?  Yes, just like any pressure-driven pump, multiple ePumps can be combined in series or in parallel to increase flow rate and/or stroke volume.
5. Are these pumps compatible with microfluidic chips? Yes, ePump is able to work with microfluidic chips using the appropriate connections, and their small size doesn’t significantly increase the size of the microfluidic system.
6. Can I use more than one ePump at a time with a single controller?   SFC Fluidics is currently developing a multi-channel modular controller capable of directing many ePumps at one time.  Also, it will be compatible with a wide range of ePump products including the Model 190 and the upcoming Model 220.  This controller has digital inputs and outputs to trigger/be triggered for OEM use.
7. Can the ePump be battery operated? The model 190 controller comes with a 5VDC adapter for use in the wall.  However, the next ePump product from SFC Fluidics, scheduled for release early 2012, is a wirelessly-controlled ePump that runs off of a battery.  Controller commands are sent from a computer with a wireless transmitter on a USB port and the pump receives the pumping protocol and begins dispensing the fluid within seconds. 
8. What is the flow rate range of the ePump? The ePump can operate at any flow rate between 250 nL/min and 10,000 nL/min.  Use the controller to select the flow rate and start and stop the pumping action.
9. Is the ePump self priming? The model 190 comes with a self-priming cap and a reservoir cap.  Both styles require external valves (not included) to control the direction of flow.  The reservoir cap is usually primed with a syringe, and then is immediately ready to pump.
10. What do I do if I need help?  SFC Fluidics prides itself on outstanding customer service.  If you need help, please do not hesitate to contact our technical support team at customerservice@sfc.fluidics.com.