arXiv subjects

Partha Kumar Das

Publications and source records attributed to Partha Kumar Das.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Non-inertial hydrodynamics of manipulating particle transport

Inspired by numerous lab on a chip, biomedical and bioengineering applications such as cell sorting, focusing, trapping, and filtering of particles, manipulation of micron sized particle trajectories has been of significant interest in the context of microfluidics. Systematic deflection of microparticles away from their initial streamlines is a central objective in microfluidic particle manipulation. In many widely used microfluidic platforms including deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) devices, density matched, force free particles suspended in low Reynolds number flows encounter arrays of obstacles that potentially breaks the flow symmetry and alter their trajectories. Despite the prevalence of these devices, the physical mechanism responsible for particle deflection from encountering obstacle wall in strictly non inertial flows (Stokes flows) remains incompletely understood and is often attributed to short range contact interactions rather than hydrodynamic effects.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2025

Controlled particle displacement by hydrodynamic obstacle interaction in non-inertial flows

Systematic deflection of microparticles off of initial streamlines is a fundamental task in microfluidics, aiming at applications including sorting, accumulation, or capture of the transported particles. In a large class of setups, including Deterministic Lateral Displacement and porous media filtering, particles in non-inertial (Stokes) flows are deflected by an array of obstacles. We show that net deflection of force-free particles passing an obstacle in Stokes flow is possible solely by hydrodynamic interactions if the flow and obstacle geometry break fore-aft symmetries. The net deflection is maximal for certain initial conditions and we analytically describe its scaling with particle size, obstacle shape, and flow geometry, confirmed by direct trajectory simulations. For realistic parameters, separation by particle size is comparable to what is found assuming contact (roughness) interactions. Our approach also makes systematic predictions on when short-range attractive forces lead to particle capture or sticking. In separating hydrodynamic effects on particle motion strictly from contact interactions, we provide novel, rigorous guidelines for elementary microfluidic particle manipulation and filtering.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2024

Principles of hydrodynamic particle manipulation in internal Stokes flow

Manipulation of small-scale particles across streamlines is the elementary task of microfluidic devices. Many such devices operate at very low Reynolds numbers and deflect particles using arrays of obstacles, but a systematic quantification of relevant hydrodynamic effects has been lacking. Here, we explore an alternate approach, rigorously modeling the displacement of force-free spherical particles in vortical Stokes flows under hydrodynamic particle-wall interaction. Certain Moffatt-like eddy geometries with broken symmetry allow for systematic deflection of particles across streamlines, leading to particle accumulation at either Faxen field fixed points or limit cycles. Moreover, particles can be forced onto trajectories approaching channel walls exponentially closely, making quantitative predictions of particle capture (sticking) by short-range forces possible. This rich, particle size-dependent behavior suggests the versatile use of inertial-less flow in devices with a long particle residence time for concentration, sorting, or filtering.

physics.flu-dyn↗