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Team:UCL E/Product/Box
From 2013.igem.org
Prototype Design
PCR machine
The PCR machine design went through several iterations to maximise heat transfer. Our prototype is made of aluminium. Aluminium has a low specific heat capacity and good conductance, which makes it well suited for the PCR machine, in addition to being easy to machine during manufacture. The PCR machine is designed to contain a maximum number of tubes in the heater block with the same footprint as the Peltier that powers the heat transfer. As the number tube holes increase, there is less block material hence less thermal mass to heat and cool which ensures faster heat transitions.
Centrifuge The centrifuge is powered by a fan and can reach up to 3000 RPM. A fan is a cost-effective alternative to a brushless motor, while non-brushless motors are noisy. Our hardware are researching the most effective relative centrifugal force for our design.
Gel Electrophoresis and Transilluminator
The key element of the gel box is the power supply. As our design is targeted towards a younger audience, we aim to avoid high voltage. While our current prototype reaches 120V, our team are researching a 40V power supply as a safer alternative.
