Abstract: An energy recovery device including: at least one capacitor with variable capacitance, the capacitor including a fixed electrode, a dielectric layer, and a liquid electrode; and a mechanism to inject an electric charge into the capacitor and to remove the electric charge therefrom, including a charge injection electrode forming a portion of the second face positioned upstream from the fixed electrode in the direction of displacement of the liquid electrode, and a charge removal electrode forming a portion of the second face positioned downstream from the fixed electrode in the direction of displacement of the liquid electrode.

Abstract: A microfluidic device, including a microfluidic network, including: a) two parallel plates each including one or more electrodes, b) at least one channel, arranged between the two plates, made from a material obtained by solidification or hardening of a material of a first fluid, and c) a mechanism varying a physical parameter of the material constituting walls of the channel so as to cause the material to pass at least from the liquid state to the solid state.

Abstract: A flowmeter includes a first chamber and a second chamber connected through a channel. The first chamber is provided with a first deformable membrane and with first and second gauges. The second chamber is provided with a second deformable membrane and with third and fourth gauges. The four gauges form a Wheatstone bridge.

Abstract: A micropump with a deformable membrane, including: a first chamber, one wall of which includes a first deformable membrane portion and an actuator of the first membrane portion; a second chamber including a second deformable membrane portion and a third chamber, including a third deformable membrane portion, the second chamber and the third chamber being connected together through a first channel, at least one of the second and third chambers being connected through a second channel to the first chamber; each of the second chamber and third chamber including a mechanism forming a detection gauge, but not including an activation mechanism.

Abstract: A device for addressing an electrode array of 2n lines of an electro-fluidic device, each line having N electrodes (n?N). The device includes, on each line, n selection electrodes, all of the line selection electrodes being connected to 2n line selection conductors, 2n?1 line selection electrodes of 2n?1 lines being connected to each line selection conductor, and selection devices for selecting one or more line selection conductors.

Abstract: A device for forming at least one circulating flow, or vortex, at the surface of a drop of liquid, including at least two first electrodes forming a plane and having edges facing each other, such that the contact line of a drop, deposited on the device and fixed relatively to the device, has a tangent forming, when projected onto the plane of the electrodes, an angle between 0° and 90° with the edges facing each other of the electrodes.

Abstract: An energy recovery device including: at least one capacitor with variable capacitance, the capacitor including a fixed electrode, a dielectric layer, and a liquid electrode; and a mechanism to inject an electric charge into the capacitor and to remove the electric charge therefrom, including a charge injection electrode forming a portion of the second face positioned upstream from the fixed electrode in the direction of displacement of the liquid electrode, and a charge removal electrode forming a portion of the second face positioned downstream from the fixed electrode in the direction of displacement of the liquid electrode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microfluidic device for making a liquid/liquid or gas biphasic system using a first liquid or a gas and a second liquid, non-miscible with each other, the device having a first hydrophobic surface for the second liquid, the first liquid forming a layer (6) on said first hydrophobic surface. The device comprises means for introducing a drop (7) of the second liquid into the layer of first liquid or gas and in contact with said first hydrophobic surface, and means for displacing the drop on said first hydrophobic surface along a determined path, the device having on the path of the drop, at least one wetting defect causing, upon passing of the drop over this defect, failure of the triple line of contact of the drop on the first hydrophobic surface and inclusion of first liquid (8) or gas into the drop. The invention also relates to the associated method.

Abstract: A method for producing at least one deformable membrane micropump including a first substrate and a second substrate assembled together, the first substrate including at least one cavity and the second substrate including at least one deformable membrane arranged facing the cavity. In the method: the cavity is produced in the first substrate; then the first and second substrates are assembled together; then the deformable membrane is produced in the second substrate.

Abstract: The invention concerns a device for air/water extraction by semi-humid electrostatic collection, comprising a chamber (7) containing a discharge electrode (1) for generating an ion flow from an ionized gas accumulation surrounding the discharge electrode (1) and a counter-electrode (2), an inlet (3) for mixing air and aerosol to be extracted which contains liquid or solid particles, a steam supply tube (8) and an outlet (4) for the cleansed air. The invention is characterized in that the device enables steam to be introduce the steam supply tube (8) in the gap between the discharge electrode (1) and the counter-electrode (2) so as to form a steam sheath (10) enclosing the discharge electrode over its entire length, such that the treated air is not steam-saturated.

Abstract: A hydrophobic surface coating, preferably obtained by chemical vapor deposition, comprises at least an upper thin layer formed by a compound selected from the group consisting of SiCxOy:H with x comprised between 1.4 and 2 and y comprised between 0.8 and 1.4 and SiCx?Ny?:H with x? comprised between 1.2 and 1.4 and y? comprised between 0.6 and 0.8, so as to obtain a free surface with a low wetting hysteresis. Such a hydrophobic surface coating can be arranged on the free surface of a microcomponent comprising at least one substrate provided with, an electrode array and particularly suitable for moving drops of liquid by electrowetting on dielectric.

Abstract: A microfluidic device, including a microfluidic network, including: a) two parallel plates each including one or more electrodes, b) at least one channel, arranged between the two plates, made from a material obtained by solidification or hardening of a material of a first fluid, and c) a mechanism varying a physical parameter of the material constituting walls of the channel so as to cause the material to pass at least from the liquid state to the solid state.

Abstract: A liquid dispensing device includes first and second substrates, with the first substrate including an opening for introduction of a fluid, and the second substrate including a multiplicity of electrodes. The device includes a transfer electrode, located at least partially opposite to the opening, at least two drop-forming electrodes, and a reservoir electrode, located between the transfer electrode and the drop-forming electrodes, and with an area that is at least equal to three times the area of each drop-forming electrode.

Abstract: A device for forming at least one circulating flow, or vortex, at the surface of a drop of liquid, including at least two first electrodes forming a plane and having edges facing each other, such that the contact line of a drop, deposited on the device and fixed relatively to the device, has a tangent forming, when projected onto the plane of the electrodes, an angle between 0° and 90° with the edges facing each other of the electrodes.

Abstract: An energy recovery device including: at least one capacitor with variable capacitance, the capacitor including a fixed electrode, a dielectric layer, and a liquid electrode; and a mechanism to inject an electric charge into the capacitor and to remove the electric charge therefrom, including a charge injection electrode forming a portion of the second face positioned upstream from the fixed electrode in the direction of displacement of the liquid electrode, and a charge removal electrode forming a portion of the second face positioned downstream from the fixed electrode in the direction of displacement of the liquid electrode.

Abstract: The invention relates to a micropump for which the pressure force is not limited by the electrowetting saturation angle, while being simple to manufacture. According to the invention, the microchannel (10) comprises an inlet orifice (11) and has a hydrophilic wall (12) extending from said inlet orifice (11). Displacement means are provided to displace a droplet (51) of liquid (L1) by electrowetting on a hydrophobic surface (22) until said droplet (51) is brought into contact with said hydrophilic wall (12), such that said droplet (51) enters into said microchannel (10) through said inlet orifice (11) by wetting, causing displacement of said fluid (F1).

Abstract: The invention concerns a microfluidic liquid-movement device. The movement device according to the invention comprises a microchannel (10) provided with an opening (11B) onto the environment, the microchannel (10) being filled with a first liquid (F1) and a second liquid (F3), the two liquids being separated by a separating fluid (F2). Injection of the second liquid (F3) through the opening (11B) is obtained by movement of the first liquid (F1) by electrowetting.

Abstract: A device for extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the device being characterized in that it comprises: a main duct for conveying a flow of said suspension, the duct being of a length that is sufficient to enable a layer of said suspension to develop that is depleted in solid phase; flow disturbance means for disturbing the flow of said suspension, said means being provided in the main duct and being adapted to cause at least one recirculation vortex to form so as to increase locally the thickness of said depleted layer; and liquid extraction means disposed in a region of the device where said suspension is enriched in liquid phase as a result of said recirculation vortex. A method of extracting a liquid phase from a suspension, the method comprising injecting said suspension into such a device at a flow rate suitable for causing at least one recirculation vortex to be formed, and extracting a fraction of said suspension that is enriched in liquid as a result of said vortex.

Abstract: An actuation device with several positions includes a support, at least one flexible membrane attached to the support forming at least one closed containment with the support with volume filled with at least one first liquid in the form of one or several drops, and at least a second liquid, the first liquid and the second liquid being immiscible, and an electrical device to modulate the profile of the membrane by controlling the shape of at least one of the drops.

Abstract: A device for addressing an electrode array of 2n lines of an electro-fluidic device, each line having N electrodes (n?N). The device includes, on each line, n selection electrodes, all of the line selection electrodes being connected to 2n line selection conductors, 2n?1 line selection electrodes of 2n?1 lines being connected to each line selection conductor, and selection devices for selecting one or more line selection conductors.