Feedback control system simulator for the control of biological cells in microfluidic cross slots and integrated microfluidic systems

Abstract

Control systems for lab on chip devices require careful characterisation and design for optimal performance. Traditionally, this involves either extremely computationally expensive simulations or lengthy iteration of laboratory experiments, prototype design, and manufacture. In this paper, an efficient control simulation technique, valid for typical microchannels, Computed Interpolated Flow Hydrodynamics (CIFH), is described that is over 500 times faster than conventional time integration techniques. CIFH is a hybrid approach, utilising a combination of pre-computed flows and hydrodynamic equations and allows the efficient simulation of dynamic control systems for the transport of cells through micro-fluidic devices. The speed-ups achieved by using pre-computed CFD solutions mapped to an n-dimensional control parameter space, significantly accelerate the evaluation and improvement of control strategies and chip design. Here, control strategies for a naturally unstable device geometry, the microfluidic cross-slot, have been simulated and optimal parameters have been found for proposed devices capable of trapping and sorting cells.