A computational study of trajectories of micro- and nano-particles with different shapes in flow through small channels

Abstract

Transport of small particles, of micrometer and sub-micrometer size, by fluid occurs in many technological and biological systems. The channels through which the fluid flows are often with cross-sectional dimensions on the order of several to tens of micrometers. The aim of this study was to investigate effects of shape of micro- and nano-particles on particle trajectories when particles are transported within small channels as blood vessels. Efficiency of therapeutics by particles as the drug carriers is significantly dependent on particle trajectories. It is desirable to have particle trajectories approaching the vessel walls in order to increase therapeutic efficacy. We studied motion of particles in channels (pipes) for two physical conditions: Poiseuille flow, which is characteristic in pipe flow, and shear flow. Shear flow conditions are analyzed since the character of fluid flow near the wall in these systems can be approximated as shear, with a linear change of velocity with the distance from the wall. We here investigated trajectories of particles of different shapes in 2D flow using the finite element (FE) method, with a strong coupling approach for solid-fluid interaction and a remeshing procedure. The results give insight into the characteristics of the particle motion, e.g. trajectories and rotations, under various flow conditions in micron size channels, including flow in the presence of moving deformable discs. We demonstrate that the particle trajectories are essentially parallel to the wall for various conditions and that particle size and shape do not considerably alter the parallel nature of the trajectories.