Eulerian-Lagrangian Approach to Assess Microfluidic Multiphasic Reactive Separations
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Solid-liquid microfluidic systems show an outstanding performance in the capture of target species, which paves the way for their implementation in detection systems and biomedical applications. Modelling multiphasic systems presents an added difficulty when particulate phases are involved. The Euler-Lagrange approach arises as an attractive opportunity to track the position of every particle in every moment and account for the effects of the multiphasic interaction. Hence, this work aims to develop an Euler-Lagrange based model to predict the performance of solid-liquid microfluidic systems with interfacial mass transfer involved. The model has been tested and validated resorting to the microfluidic capture of chromium using functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as case study [1]. The experimental validation has been fulfilled in a Y-Y shaped microdevice by contacting a solution of 0.44 mM chromium and a suspension of 8 g(MNP)/L of amino-functionalized nanoparticles with 0.17 mmol(amino)/g(MNP) (Fig. 1a). The model presents an excellent agreement between experimental and simulated values (Fig. 1b), which is endorsed by a root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of 0.04. Moreover, the outcomes of this rigorous model are compared with those from a simplified model that does not consider the discrete nature of the particulate phase. In this case, the RMSD presents a value of 0.10. Thus, the model herein reported shows an outstanding capability to describe the selective species capture in multiphasic microfluidic devices, being a powerful and precise tool to predict and design microfluidic solid-liquid capture systems. REFERENCES [1] B. García-Merino, E. Bringas and I. Ortiz. Robust system for the regenerative capture of aqueous pollutants with continuously synthesized and functionalized magnetic nanoparticles. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 10(5):108417, 2022.
