Computational Tool for Simulation and Design of Discrete Droplet Microfluidic Systems

Discrete droplet microfluidic systems are a rapidly expanding technology with applications in many scientific and engineering endeavors that require biochemical analysis.  Success in this area depends on developing engineering devices that have precise and multiple functionalities, such as spatial and temporal control of the droplets.  This technology is a computerized method for designing discrete droplet microfluidic systems for the simulation and design of these complex microfluidic networks.  This design tool provides a modeling platform using nodal analysis and a generic algorithm to design large scale droplet microfluidic systems more quickly than is provided by the current trial and error process. 

Reference Number:  D-0915

Features and Benefits:

• Provides a computerized method for designing a discrete droplet microfluidic system
• Provides a non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a program for designing the system
• Provides an apparatus for designing a system that includes one or more processors, a memory, and an output device
• Accelerates the design discovery process for discrete droplet microfluidic devices

Market Applications:

• Bio-chemical analysis
• Drug Discovery
• Lab-on-Chip Technologies

Intellectual Property:

A PCT patent application, PCT/US14/46266, was filed on 7/11/2014 for this technology. 

Researchers:

Raghunathan Rengasamy, Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University

Jeevan Maddala, Department of Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University

Keywords:  discrete droplet, microfluidic systems,  lab-on-chip, microfluidic ladder networks