Abstract
This article conceptualizes and mathematically models a dielectrophoretic microfluidic device with two sets of interdigitated transducer vertical electrodes for separation of a binary heterogeneous mixture of particles based on size; each set of electrodes is located on the sidewalls and independently controllable. To achieve separation in the proposed microfluidic device, the small microparticles are subjected to positive dielectrophoresis and the big microparticles do not experience dielectrophoresis. The mathematical model consists of equations describing the motion of each microparticle, fluid flow profile, and electric voltage and field profiles, and they are solved numerically. The equations of motion take into account the influence of phenomena, such as inertia, drag, dielectrophoresis, gravity, and buoyancy. The model is used for a parametric study to understand the influence of parameters on the performance of the microfluidic device. The parameters studied include applied electric voltages, electrode dimensions, volumetric flow rate, and number of electrodes. The separation efficiency of the big and small microparticles is found to be independent of and dependent on all parameters, respectively. On the other hand, the separation purity of the big and small microparticles is found to be dependent on and independent of all parameters, respectively. The mathematical model is useful in designing the proposed microfluidic device with the desired level of separation efficiency and separation purity.
Highlights
Devices employing flow passages with hydraulic diameters smaller than 1 mm are referred to as microfluidic devices [1]
It can be noticed that all 2.5 μm microparticles are attracted to and captured of the microchannel; microparticles are released from 81 locations across the inlet of the microchannel
2.5 μm microparticle and of equal applied electric voltages, all 2.5 μm microparticles fromreleased the center of the inlet the fact that the number of 2.5 μm andreleased subsequently remain same,of the subsequently released remain themicroparticle same, the SPcaptured of the same remains independent of the the electrode microchannel same positive DEP (pDEP) from both sets of interdigitated transducer (IDT) electrodes due to which they remain the separation purity (SP) of theexperience same remains independent of the electrode dimensions
Summary
Devices employing flow passages with hydraulic diameters smaller than 1 mm are referred to as microfluidic devices [1]. It can be noticed that for both captured bymicroparticles, the electrodes irrespective will be collected from thethe same by switching off the electric power and types of of their radii, Re(foutlet, CM) is positive and negative at low and high flushing the microfluidic device with buffer solution, once the entire sample is 2processed operating frequencies, respectively. Mathew et al [19,20,21] and Alazzam et al [22] modeled several microfluidic devices employing spatially varying electric field for realizing field flow fractionation to achieve type based separation of microparticles In this device the microparticles are subjected to nDEP and sedimentation forces in the vertical direction and this leads to levitation of the microparticles. Alnaimat et al [13] developed the mathematical model of a microfluidic device, employing multiple finite sized planar IDT electrodes located on the bottom surface, for separation of microparticles based on type. The inclusion of forces associated with inertia and drag allows for determining the time and length required for achieving a desired performance metric in the proposed device
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