Patent ID: 8597937

Claim:
An apparatus for biological or chemical reactions, which comprises: a heat removal module adapted to receive one or more reaction vessels in such a manner as to create thermal conductivity between the heat removal module and each of the one or more reaction vessels in a thermal cycling process; the heat removal module being formed of a thermally conductive material; and a channel formed in the heat removal module and adapted for the flow of a coolant liquid therethrough adjacent each of the one or more reaction vessels; the channel having an inlet port formed at a first exterior location of the heat removal module and an outlet port formed at a second location of the heat removal module spaced from the the first exterior location to facilitate the flow of the coolant liquid through the channel from the inlet port to the outlet port; a coolant liquid passage extending between the outlet port and the inlet port to facilitate the continuous circulating flow of the coolant liquid through the channel and the passage; and a heater located in the coolant-liquid passage to heat the coolant liquid to a prescribed temperature for establishing a prescribed-temperature environment throughout the heat removal module in which each of the one or more reaction vessels can be thermally cycled independently of the thermal cycling of the remaining one or more reaction vessels to effect an independent biological or chemical reaction within each of the one or more reaction vessels.