APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE FLOW RATE IN A MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE

The present invention is an apparatus for controlling the flow rate in a specific segment in a microfluidic device. This apparatus is formed by a first interrelated product provided in the form of a portable device comprising microfluidic channels and a second interrelated product provided in the form of a control apparatus suitable for receiving the first portable device. The first portable device comprises at least one plate with at least one open microfluidic channel segment configured on the surface of the plate. On this microfluidic channel segment, there is a thermally conductive sheet closing the open microfluidic channel, said thermally conductive sheet comprising a region on the outer surface receiving a thermal sensor. The same microfluidic channel segment comprises a microvalve, either upstream from the thermal sensor or downstream from the thermal sensor, covered by a flexible sheet, which regulates flow in the microfluidic channel segment depending on the pressure exerted on the flexible sheet. The invention allows regulating flow in the microfluidic channel segment by establishing a flow rate according to a setpoint value in the control apparatus with a closed loop regulation between the signal from the thermal sensor and the microvalve.