Inertial and non-inertial focusing of a deformable capsule in a curved microchannel

A computational study is presented on cross-stream migration and focusing of deformable capsules in curved microchannels square rectangular sections under inertial non-inertial regimes. The numerical methodology based immersed boundary methods for fluid–structure coupling, a finite-volume-based flow solver finite-element method capsule deformation. Different behaviours the two regimes are predicted that arise due to interplay inertia, deformation, altered shear gradient, streamline curvature effect secondary flow. In regime, single-point occurs central plane, at radial location between interior face (i.e. with highest curvature) channel zero shear. position nearly independent deformability (represented by capillary number, $Ca$ ). two-step observed comprised faster migration, followed slower toward centre plane. progressively moves further increasing width, but decreasing height. near Reynolds number $Re_{C}\sim {O}(1)$ , also highly sensitive $Re_{C}$ exterior . As increases an order, becomes stronger, locations appear close centres Dean vortices. This practically even higher inertia. positions move width For wider channels, equilibrium than vortex centre.