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Clog mitigation in a microfluidic array via pulsatile flows
Brian Dincau1, Connor Tang1, Emilie Dressaire1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA. dressaire@ucsb.edu.
Soft Matter
|January 26, 2022
Summary
Pulsatile flows effectively mitigate clogging in microfluidic filters by rearranging particles, enhancing throughput. However, this benefit diminishes at lower frequencies due to timescale mismatches with filter cake growth.
Area of Science:
- Fluid Dynamics
- Colloid Science
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Clogging in microfluidic systems poses significant challenges in various applications.
- Pulsatile flows offer a potential solution to mitigate clogging compared to steady flows.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate the impact of pulsatile flow parameters on clog mitigation.
- To analyze the influence of pulsation amplitude and frequency on filter performance.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a microfluidic array of parallel channels with colloidal suspensions.
- Performed flow rate measurements and direct pore-scale visualizations.
- Varied pulsation amplitude (0.25P₀ to 1.25P₀) and frequency (10⁻³ Hz to 10⁻¹ Hz).
Main Results:
- Pulsatile flows at 0.1 Hz significantly increased throughput compared to steady flows.
- Particle rearrangement under dynamic shear delayed or removed clogs.
- Benefits of pulsatile flow were reduced at 10⁻² Hz and absent at 10⁻³ Hz.
Conclusions:
- Pulsatile flows are a promising strategy for delaying clogging at both pore and system levels.
- Optimal pulsation frequencies are crucial for effective clog mitigation.
- Understanding timescale dynamics is key to maximizing the benefits of pulsatile flows.
