DYNAMIC SIMULATION OF PRESSURE DRIVEN FLOW OF FLUIDS WITH SUSPENDED FERROUS PARTICLES IN A MICRO CHANNEL UNDER MAGNETIC FIELD

摘要

This computational study focuses on the dynamics of individual ferrous particles and the flow of the incompressible Newtonian fluid under the effect of an externally applied magnetic field and pressure gradient in a two-dimensional micro channel with smooth walls. The particle dynamics is simulated as a discrete phase using MATLAB code and the fluid flow is solved as a continuous phase using Computational Fluid Dynamics Software FLUENT. Interaction between the particle and fluid phases are included as hydrodynamic forces predicated by the fluid phase simulation and updated particle locations determined by the particle phase solution under non-uniform magnetic field. Non-uniform magnetic field forces the particles to move to poles of the magnet, and results in their accumulation. This causes drastic change on the continuous phase flow and pressure distribution, which in turn influences the particle motion. Predicted dynamics of the suspended ferrous particles under magnetic field and flow of the carrier fluid with pressure gradient is in reasonably well agreement with previous work. The results show that non-uniform magnetic field generated by externally placed magnets can be used to control the locations of the particles and flow of the fluid in a micro channel.