Knowledge Base
Micro-Metering Valves
Micro-Metering Valves for µ-Fluidic applications
For fine control of fluid flow rates, Micro-Metering Valves can reduce outgoing flow to as low as 3.5 ?L/min (devied with Water at room temperature at 1.0ml/min incoming flow rate). These needle valves are perfect for use with peristaltic pump fluid-transfer applications, mass spectrometry, and fraction collection. Upchurch Scientific® Micro-Metering Valves can also be used to regulate gas flow in helium sparging lines and as a flow-dependent variable back pressure regulator. Flow path materials are PEEK™ polymer and PTFE. All versions of this valve have 0.020” (0.50 mm) thru-holes.
Micro-Metring Valves | |||||
Part No. | Material | Tubing OD (Port) | Bore | Internal Volume | Inlcudes |
P-445 | PEEK™/ETFE | 1/16" (flat bottom) | 0.020" (0.5mm) | 7.7µl | (2) XP-230 |
P-446 | PEEK™/ETFE | 1/16" (coned) | 0.020" (0.5mm) | 7.2µl | (2) F-120 |
P-447 | PEEK™/ETFE | 1/8"(flat bottom) | 0.020" (0.5mm) | 7.7µl | (2) XP-330 |
- flow rates as low as 3.5µl/min
- suitable for coned and flat bottom fittings (10/32 and 1/4"-28)
- made of highly inert materials (PEEK™, PTFE)
Application Note: How to connect peristaltic soft wall tubing to a micro metering needle valve? |
There are several ways to connect soft wall tubing (e.g. Tygon®) to a standard connection port. Options depend of course of the type of connection port:
1/4”-28 Flat bottom (e.g. P-445 & P-447): There is a multitude of “thread to barbed” connectors available, adapting a wide range of soft-wall tubing ID’ to a flat bottom port. The threaded end of those connectors is a standard ¼”-28 flat bottom (male). These male ends fit directly into the male receiving port of the micro-metering valves. The adapters would replace the (included) flat bottom fittings (XP-230, XP-330).
Read more about thread-to-barbed-adapters here.
10-32 coned (e.g. P-446) The selection of adapters from soft-wall tubing to coned, threaded ports is unfortunately somewhat limited. A simple and effective solution is to connect a short length of semi-rigid tubing (e.g. PTFE, PEEK) to the (included) fitting of the micro-metering valve and use a flat bottom fitting on the other end. This flat bottom fitting can then be easily connected to a “thread to barbed” adapter, as shown in the sketch below.
(read more about thread to barbed adapters here).