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Inertial Microfluidics: Mechanisms and Applications

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Advanced Mechatronics and MEMS Devices II

Part of the book series: Microsystems and Nanosystems ((MICRONANO))

Abstract

In microfluidics, the typical sample volume is in the order of nL, which is incompatible with the common biosample volume in biochemistry and clinical diagnostics (usually ranging from 1 μL to approximately 1 mL). The recently emerged inertial microfluidic technology offers the possibility to process large volume (∼mL) of biosample by well-defined micro-structures. In contrast to conventional microfluidic technologies, where fluid inertia is negligible and flow remains almost within Stokes flow region with very low Reynolds number \( Re\ll 1 \) (\( Re={\rho}_{\mathrm{f}}{\overline{U}}_{\mathrm{f}}H/\mu \), where ρ f, Ū f and μ are fluid density, average velocity and dynamic viscosity, respectively, and H is channel hydraulic diameter), inertial microfluidic devices work within an intermediate Reynolds number range (∼1 < Re < ∼100) between Stokes and turbulent regimes. In this intermediate range, both inertia and fluid viscosity are finite, and several intriguing effects appear and form the basis of inertial microfluidics, including (i) inertial migration and (ii) secondary flow. Due to the superior features of high-throughput, simplicity, precise manipulation and low-cost, inertial microfluidics has attracted significant attention from the microfluidic community. Meanwhile, a number of channel designs that focus, concentrate and separate particles and fluids have been explored and demonstrated. In this chapter, we discuss this fascinating technology from three crucial aspects: (1) fundamental mechanism, (2) microchannel designs and (3) applications. From this chapter, we hope that readers can have a clear understanding on the concept of inertial microfluidics, its working mechanism and potential applications.

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Abbreviations

a :

Particle diameter

AR:

Aspect ratio of channel (=h/w)

D max :

Rotational diameter of non-spherical particle

De :

Dean number

f drag :

Viscous drag coefficient

f L :

Coefficient of net inertial lift force

F D :

Secondary flow drag or Dean drag

F drag :

Viscous drag force

F L :

Net inertial lift force

F LR :

Magnus force or rotation-induced lift force

F LS :

Shear gradient lift force

F LW :

Wall lift force

F S :

Saffman force or slip-shear-induced lift force

h :

Channel height

H :

Channel hydraulic diameter

L min :

Minimum channel length for particles to migrate to the inertial equilibrium position

R :

Radius of curvature of curving channel

Re :

Reynolds number

Re′:

Particle Reynolds number based on relative velocity of fluid and particle

R f :

Ratio of inertial lift force to Dean drag

R p :

Particle Reynolds number based on the size ratio of particle to channel

S :

Cross-sectional area of particle

U D :

Secondary flow velocity or Dean flow velocity

U f :

Fluid velocity

U p :

Particle velocity

v t :

Relative velocity of fluid to particle

V t :

Relative velocity of particle to fluid (=−v t )

w :

Channel width

x :

Lateral position of particle

γ :

Fluid shear rate

μ :

Dynamic viscosity

ρ f :

Fluid density

υ :

Kinetic viscosity

Ω p :

Angular velocity of particle

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical, Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia

    Jun Zhang, Weihua Li & Gursel Alici

  2. ARC Center of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW , 2522, Australia

    Gursel Alici

Authors
  1. Jun Zhang
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  2. Weihua Li
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  3. Gursel Alici
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Weihua Li .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Dan Zhang

  2. University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada

    Bin Wei

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Zhang, J., Li, W., Alici, G. (2017). Inertial Microfluidics: Mechanisms and Applications. In: Zhang, D., Wei, B. (eds) Advanced Mechatronics and MEMS Devices II. Microsystems and Nanosystems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32180-6_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32180-6_25

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-32178-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-32180-6

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