Apparatus and method for assessing the liquid flow performances through a small dispensing orifice

Abstract

A universal calibration apparatus and method to estimate the dispense output from a low volume, non-contact, liquid dispensing systems that may be applied for every hardware configuration (e.g., tube length, orifice diameter, tip design, etc), reagent solution property and environmental condition. This same calibration technique is applied to calibrate or tune these non-contact liquid dispensing systems to dispense desired volumes (in the range of about 0.050 μL to 50 μL), irrespective of the hardware configuration or the solution properties. That is, the calibration technique is not dependent on any variables, but the result (the actual dispense volume) is dependant on the variable mentioned. By actuating selected pulse widths, and measuring the resulting volume, a Calibration Profile can be generated correlating the liquid volume dispensed from the orifice to the respective pulse width of the dispensing valve thereof through calibration points. In particular, one is selected to deliver a first volume of liquid that is less than a lower base pulse width correlating to the lowest volume of the selected range of volumes of liquid, while a second pulse width is selected to deliver a second volume of liquid dispensed that is greater than an upper ceiling pulse width correlating to the highest volume of the selected range of volumes of liquid. Intermediary pulse widths are also applied, each selected to deliver a different, spaced-apart, respective intermediary low volumes of liquid dispensed from the dispensing orifice between the first volume and the second volume. Thus, applying the Calibration Profile, the pulse widths correlating to the one or more targeted discrete volumes for liquid dispensing can be extrapolated.