Devices for controlling fluid flow, in particular microfluidic devices, are described, which exploit gas/liquid interfaces to control liquid flow in accordance with application requirements. Devices for on/off flow switching, centrifugal separation, mixing, metering and aliquoting are described.
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1. A fluid flow control system comprising: a fluid flow control chamber,means for injecting a liquid into the fluid flow control chamber to form a liquid membrane dividing the chamber into compartments on each side of the liquid membrane, andmeans for generating a pressure differential between the c
1. A fluid flow control system comprising: a fluid flow control chamber,means for injecting a liquid into the fluid flow control chamber to form a liquid membrane dividing the chamber into compartments on each side of the liquid membrane, andmeans for generating a pressure differential between the compartments to control a deflection of the injected liquid. 2. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the means for injecting the liquid include means for creating a centrifugal force acting on the liquid. 3. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the means for generating the pressure differential include the means for injecting the liquid. 4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means for injecting the liquid includes a liquid reservoir connected to the fluid flow control chamber by a liquid passage enabling injection of liquid from the reservoir into the fluid flow control chamber and by a vent passage for venting the control chamber into the reservoir. 5. A system as claimed in claim 4, including means for stopping flow of liquid from the liquid reservoir to the fluid flow control chamber by deflecting the injected liquid into the vent passage to form a liquid plug in the vent passage. 6. A system as claimed in claim 5, in which the means for stopping flow include means for creating a pressure decrease in the vent passage as liquid flows from the liquid reservoir to the fluid flow chamber. 7. A system as claimed in claim 5, including means for re-starting the flow of liquid by changing a force acting on the liquid plug. 8. A system as claimed in claim 4, including means for trapping a heavier component or components of the liquid in the liquid reservoir and injecting a lighter component or components into the fluid flow control chamber. 9. A system as claimed in claim 8, including means for trapping a heavier component or components of the liquid in the fluid flow control chamber. 10. A system as claimed in claim 1, including means for aliquoting the liquid as it is injected into the fluid flow control chamber. 11. A system as claimed in claim 1, including means for injecting a liquid to form a plurality of liquid membranes in the fluid flow control chamber. 12. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the fluid flow chamber is defined between two surfaces for containing the membrane, the surfaces being less than 1 mm apart. 13. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which the fluid flow chamber is defined between two surfaces for containing the membrane, the surfaces being less than 0.5 mm apart. 14. A device for containing a fluid, the device defining a first volume containing a gas and a first port through which a liquid can be injected into the first volume to partition the first volume into separate compartments on each side of the liquid; the device being configured to convert flow of the liquid into the first volume into a pressure differential between the compartments, thereby deflecting the liquid. 15. A device as claimed in claim 14, defining a second volume in fluidic communication with the first port and further fluidically connected to the first volume by a vent passage to one side of the first port such that the gas can vent to the second volume as liquid is injected into the first volume. 16. A device as claimed in claim 15, in which the device is configured to create a pressure decrease in the vent passage when a liquid level in the second volume decreases. 17. A device as claimed in claim 15, the device defining an axis of rotation about which the device is rotatable to centrifugally drive the injection of liquid, the first volume being located radially outward of the second volume and the vent passage connects to the first volume radially outward of the first port. 18. A device as claimed in claim 17, in which an end of the vent passage connecting to the first volume is the radially outmost portion of the vent passage. 19. A device as claimed in claim 17, in which the second volume comprises a portion radially between a second port connecting the second volume to the first port and the first volume. 20. A device as claimed in claim 19, in which the first volume is in fluid communication with a third volume through a third port, wherein a portion of the first volume is located radially beyond the third port. 21. A device as claimed in claim 20, in which the third volume defines a metering device. 22. A device as claimed in claim 15, in which the second volume comprises two chambers connected by a passage. 23. A device as claimed in claim 14, the device defining an axis of rotation about which the device is rotatable to centrifugally drive the injection of liquid. 24. A device as claimed in claim 14, defining a plurality of metering structures opposite the first port to one side of it such that successive metering structures are filled by the liquid jet as the jet is deflected. 25. A device as claimed in claim 14, in which the device is configured to centrifugally separate components of a sample, the sample having a volume in the range of 1 to 20 microlitres. 26. A device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the sample is a blood sample and the centrifugally separated components include plasma. 27. A device as claimed in claim 14, in which the first volume is defined between surfaces for containing the liquid separating the compartments, the surfaces being less than 1 mm apart. 28. A system as claimed in claim 14, in which the fluid flow chamber is defined between two surfaces for containing the membrane, the surfaces being less than 0.5 mm apart. 29. A method of controlling fluid flow in a chamber, including injecting a liquid into the chamber to divide the chamber into compartments on each side of the injected liquid and generating a pressure differential between the compartments to control a deflection of the injected liquid. 30. A method as claimed in claimed in claim 29, including creating the pressure differential by injecting the liquid into the chamber. 31. A method as claimed in claimed in claim 29, including injecting the liquid into the chamber by injecting the liquid from a reservoir connected to the chamber, equilibrating pressures between the chamber and the reservoir by a vent passage connecting the chamber to the reservoir, and stopping the injection of liquid by deflecting the injected liquid into the vent passage to form a liquid plug. 32. A method as claimed in claim 31, including applying a first centrifugal force to the reservoir and chamber to form the liquid plug, then applying a second centrifugal force, to centrifugally separate components of the liquid and then applying a third centrifugal force, different from the first and second centrifugal forces, to dislodge the liquid plug and transfer a fraction of the liquid in the reservoir to the chamber. 33. A method as claimed in claim 32, including wherein the second centrifugal force is the same as the first centrifugal force. 34. A method as claimed in claim 31, including creating a negative pressure in the vent passage by injecting the liquid from the reservoir into the chamber. 35. A method as claimed in claim 29, including using a centrifugal force to inject the liquid.
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