Sharif Digital Repository

In this work, inhomogeneous swelling of the temperature-sensitive PNIPAM hydrogel is investigated with application to micro-valves. In this regard, a modified model is considered, and an analytical solution of the inhomogeneous swelling of a hydrogel jacket coated on a rigid pillar is performed, which is valuable for the conceptual design of the micro-valve. Then, finite element implementation of the modified model is carried out, and its validity is verified by both the analytical and experimental results. Thereafter, thermo-mechanical behavior of the micro-valve is investigated considering the coupling between the inhomogeneous swelling of the jacket and contact problems due to the... 

In the present study, the effect of the number of stages of Tesla Micro-Valve (TMV), as well as the dependency of Reynolds number, Re, on the valve performance has been analyzed. For this purpose, different layouts include one to four-stage with different sizes are investigated numerically. The main criterion for evaluation of valves performance is diodicity, Di. Unsteady and steady flow in valve have been simulated and compared. It is shown that although there are some difference but the trend is similar for both responses. Finally, 2-D and steady state computations of the fluid flow have been utilized that reveal a strong dependence of Di on Re and pressure drop, ΔP. The results showed... 

The significant importance of micro-scaled devices in medicine, lab-on-a-chip, and etc resulted in a vast variety of researches. The idea behind the novel hydro magnetic micro-pump and flow controller is that ferromagnetic particles, mixed and dispersed in a carrier fluid, can be accumulated and retained at specific sites to form pistons in a micro-tube using some external magnetic field sources along the micro-tube. This external magnetic field is related to some solenoids, which are turned on and off alternatively. Depending upon dragging speed of these pistons, which itself is a function of switching time, this device can be used to either increase (pumping) or decrease (valving) the flow... 

Cylindrical hydrogels have a wide variety of applications, especially in microfluidics as micro-valves, micro-mixers, and micro-lenses. Main advantages of them can be mentioned as their simple geometry and autonomous functionality due to their responses to the environmental stimuli. In current research, kinetics of swelling, shrinking and force generation of cylindrical temperature-responsive hydrogels have been investigated analytically. According to this, models of fluid permeation and large deformation of the hydrogels were considered and an analytical solution was performed. In order to study the behavior of the cylindrical hydrogels, the temperature is changed between higher and lower... 

In order to deal with the limitations of micro-pumps and micro-valves and meet the advantages of magnetic systems a novel plan is described here. The idea behind the plan is that magnetic particles, mixed and dispersed in a carrier liquid, can be accumulated and retained at specific sites to form pistons in a micro-tube using some external magnetic field sources along the tube. In other words, using some solenoids and switching them on and off, in a specific order and period, causes the desired external magnetic field variation through the tube. Changing the period and the mode of activation and deactivation of the solenoids, which are called switching time and switching mode, respectively,...