title: On controlling the flow behavior driven by induction electrohydrodynamics in microfluidic channels.
abstract: In this study, we develop a nondimensional physical model to demonstrate fluid flow at the micrometer dimension driven by traveling-wave induction electrohydrodynamics (EHD) through direct numerical simulation. In order to realize an enhancement in the pump flow rate as well as a flexible adjustment of anisotropy of flow behavior generated by induction EHD in microchannels, while not adding the risk of causing dielectric breakdown of working solution and material for insulation, a pair of synchronized traveling-wave voltage signals are imposed on double-sided electrode arrays that are mounted on the top and bottom insulating substrate, respectively. Accordingly, we present a model evidence, that not only the pump performance is improved evidently, but a variety of flow profiles, including the symmetrical and parabolic curve, plug-like shape and even biased flow behavior of quite high anisotropy are produced by the device design of "mix-type", "superimposition-type" and "adjustable-type" proposed herein as well, with the resulting controllable fluid motion being able to greatly facilitate an on-demand transportation mode of on-chip bio-microfluidic samples. Besides, automatic conversion in the direction of pump flow is achievable by switching on and off a second voltage wave. Our results provide utilitarian guidelines for constructing flexible electrokinetic framework useful in controllable transportation of particle and fluid samples in modern microfluidic systems.
authors.affiliation: School of Electronics and Control Engineering, Chang'an University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yanbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China.|State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yukun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.affiliation: School of Electronics and Control Engineering, Chang'an University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, P. R. China.|School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Weiyu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Ye
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.affiliation: School of Mechatronics Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China.|State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hongyuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004560:Electricity; D004867:Equipment Design; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods
keywords: Induction electrohydrodynamics; Microfluidic pump; Smeared structural polarization; Traveling wave