Numerical simulations of cell sorting through inertial microfluidics

The dynamics of a cell suspended in Newtonian liquid subjected to pressure-driven flow at non-negligible inertia cylindrical and square cross section microfluidic channels is studied through three-dimensional arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian finite-element numerical simulations. modeled the neo-Hookean hyper-elastic constitutive equation, which can describe biological particles undergoing moderate deformations. cell-to-channel relative dimension fixed 0.2, whereas Reynolds number Re, measuring importance inertial viscous forces, elastic capillary Cae, stress solid stress, are varied by several orders magnitude. In tube, migrates transversally direction until reaching radial equilibrium position depending on Re Cae. Given softer (i.e., larger Cae) closer its tube axis, thus allowing for separation healthy diseased cells have similar dimensions but different mechanical properties. channel with section, much more complex found. Depending either migrate centerline, closest median (thus, four positions be identified due symmetry), diagonal (again, positions), or an intermediate between (eight positions).