Understanding Microfluidics Applications through CFD Simulation

MEMS (Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems), is a rapidly growing technology for the fabrication of miniature devices using processes similar to those used in the integrated circuit industry. MEMS technology provides a way to integrate mechanical, fluidic, optical, and electronic functionality on very small devices, ranging from 0.1 microns to one millimeter. MEMS devices have two important advantages over conventional counterparts. First, they can be fabricated in large numbers, so that cost of production can be reduced substantially. Second, they can be directly incorporated into integrated circuits, so that far more complicated systems can be made than with other technologies.

Chip packaging CFD simulation using FLOW-3D/MP, distributed-memory software

Chip packaging simulation. Results generated by FLOW-3D/MP,
the distributed-memory version of FLOW-3D.

As with other production techniques, however, the MEMS design process can be very costly, as engineers and scientists design, fabricate, test and then redesign a device in order to optimize its performance. Numerical simulation can provide quantitative analysis and significant insight across such disciplines as electronics, mechanics, chemistry, thermal science and fluid science. Using FLOW-3D as a flow simulation tool can help to substantially reduce the cost of design and production.

New Model for Electro-Hydrodynamics of Semi-Conductive Fluids

Evaporation Effects and the Coffee Ring Problem

Modeling Electrokinetic Phenomena

FLOW-3D Simulation Helps Microscopic Bubbles Switch Fiber-Optic Circuits
Download the Microfluidics FLOW-3D brochure
Download the Eastman Kodak case study

CFD-101 – Lagrangian Particles

Can you imagine a computational fluid dynamics program that simulates the behavior of different materials separated by well-defined interfaces that are subject to arbitrarily large deformations? Can you also imagine this program capturing shock waves, tracking rarefactions, slip surfaces and other non-linear hydrodynamic phenomena?

Developing such a program would be a daunting task. For this reason it may be a surprise to learn that such a program was operating in 1955, long before computer graphics or even mechanical pen plotters were available. Read more in CFD-101 >