Patent ID: 7695603

Claim:
A flow controller, comprising: (a) a channel having (i) a fluid inlet in liquid communication with a fluid source at pressure P 1 , (ii) a fluid outlet at pressure P 2 , wherein P 2 <P 1 , and (iii) a porous dielectric material disposed in said channel; (b) a fluid contained within said channel; (c) spaced electrodes in electrical communication with said fluid; (d) a power supply in electrical communication with said electrodes for applying an electric potential to said spaced electrodes; (e) a first node between the fluid inlet and the porous dielectric material; (f) a first flow element having a first flow element inlet in liquid communication at the first node at pressure PN with said fluid inlet and said fluid source, wherein P 2 <PN, and a first flow element outlet at pressure P 3 ; (g) at least one sensor for monitoring at least one control signal; and (h) a feedback control mechanism operatively connected to the sensor and the power supply; whereby said electric potential generates an electroosmotically-driven flow component through said channel that modulates a pressure-driven flow component resulting from the P 1 −P 2 pressure differential; whereby the electroosmotically driven flow component affects the proportion of fluid flowing through said channel and said first flow element; and whereby the feedback control mechanism maintains the at least one control signal within a predetermined range by modulating the electric potential applied by the power supply.