Patent ID: 8420397

Claim:
A fluid flow device, comprising: a plate; at least one connecting channel formed in this plate; a plurality of storage channels extending from this connecting channel, each of the storage channels having an upstream end, directed towards the connecting channel, and a downstream end directed away from the connecting channel; at the downstream end of each storage channel, a valve for controlling the filling of the corresponding storage channel, each valve being adapted to allow or to stop the flow of fluid into the corresponding storage channel and these valves being adapted, by opening each valve while closing all of the other valves, to control the individual filling of the storage channels one after the other; and both a first source, which is placed close to the upstream end of each storage channel and is adapted to apply a first temperature, and a second source, which is placed close to the downstream end of each storage channel and is adapted to apply a second temperature that is different from the first temperature so that the same substantially linear temperature gradient between the first and second temperatures is applied along all of the storage channels.