Towards Microfluidic Design Automation: System Modelling of Complete Microfluidic Networks
Julia Boeke,
PhD Student,
Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology
Microfluidic design automation (MDA) enables the model-based design of
complete and complex lab-on-a-chip systems. Much work has been done
towards tools for in-silico evaluation, validation, and optimization of
microfluidic devices, to reduce the number of development cycles.
Electronics have mastered this challenge in electronic design
automation.
Microfluidic devices can be represented as network graphs consisting of
channels (edges) and connections (nodes). Comparable to the electric
resistance described by Ohm’s Law, the hydrodynamic resistance is
calculated based on the law of Hagen-Poiseulle. In analogy, different
operation units of a microfluidic network can be described by their
respective resistance. The connectivity between operation units is
described by network graphs, which can be solved as a system of linear
equations utilizing Kirchhoff laws. Linear transport models are suitable
for most microfluidic devices operated at low Reynolds numbers.
Here, we report our progress on a Kirchhoff-based microfluidic network
solver and reliable operation parameters based on channel geometries in
less than 200 ms. The simulation-based development strategy aims to
speed up the development process for fast design optimization and
microfluidic commissioning. The solver is demonstrated for
multi-component laminar coflow and droplet generation and adjusted for
MDA.
|
|
