Patent ID: 8338049

Claim:
A flow connector for a microfluidic system through which a solution is fed to a feed manifold of an energy converting electrochemical device having a flat coupling area with the flow connector, the flow connector comprising: a monocrystalline silicon platform having a bottom side and an opposing top side, and a plurality of through holes extending therethrough, with each through hole aligned between the bottom and top sides, and said monocrystalline silicon platform comprising a first channel configured as a first extended recess exposed on the bottom side for communicating with a first portion of the plurality of through holes, a second channel configured as a second extended recess exposed on the bottom side and separate from the first channel for communicating with a second portion of the plurality of through holes, with the second portion of through holes being different from the first portion of through holes, and said second channel forming an inlet for the feed manifold of the energy converting electrochemical device when the bottom side of said silicon platform is coupled to the flat coupling area of the energy converting electrochemical device; a micropump module coupled to the top side of said monocrystalline silicon platform, and having a suction port coinciding with a first one of the through holes in the first portion of through holes in the first channel and a delivery port coinciding a first one of the through holes in the second portion of through holes in the second channel; a first supply cartridge coupled to the top side of said monocrystalline silicon platform, and comprising a first solvent release microvalve module having a first outlet port coupled to said first channel through a second one of the through holes in the first portion of through holes so that the first outlet port is coupled to the suction port of said micropump module via the first channel; and a second supply cartridge coupled to the top side of said monocrystalline silicon platform, and comprising a second oxidable compound release microvalve module having a second outlet port coupled to said first channel through a third one of the through holes in the first portion of through holes so that the second outlet port is coupled to the suction port of said micropump module via the first channel.