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Tissue fluids in microchannel subjected to an externally applied electric potential

Vincent C. Huang (Department of Engineering Sciences and Ocean Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan)
Tony W.H. Sheu (Department of Engineering Sciences and Ocean Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan)

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow

ISSN: 0961-5539

Article publication date: 9 January 2009

341

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of an electroosmotic dynamic model to simulate the transport phenomena in association with the electric therapy in modern medicine.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study builds a new model by employing SUPG finite element method to solve the electroosmotic transport equation in microchannels of human body.

Findings

The present electroosmotic finite element analysis demonstrated that the electric treatment has a better curative effect.

Research limitations/implications

The governing electric field equations for tissue fluids in microchannel include the Laplace equation for the effective electrical potential and the Helmholtz equation for the electrical potential established in the electric double layer (EDL). The transport equations governing the hydrodynamic field variables include the mass conservation equation for the electrolyte and the equations of motion for the incompressible charged fluids subject to an electroosmotic body force.

Practical implications

The phenomena of microchannels are dominated by elliptic equations, Laplace, Helmholtz and diffusion equations (Navier Stokes equations at Re=0.0259). These governing equations explain why the reaction of electric treatment is very fast, even immediate.

Originality/value

The analysis of the coupled hydrodynamic and electrical fields, the externally applied electric potential has been shown to be an aid to accelerate the tissue fluid due to the formation of an EDL. Interaction of plasma and tissue fluids in human body is also revealed.

Keywords

Citation

Huang, V.C. and Sheu, T.W.H. (2009), "Tissue fluids in microchannel subjected to an externally applied electric potential", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 19 No. 1, pp. 64-77. https://doi.org/10.1108/09615530910922161

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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