Numerical simulation of electroosmotic flow in a rectangular microchannel with use of magnetic and electric fields.

Pumping fluid is one of the crucial parts of any microfluidic system. Using electric and magnetic fields as a substitute for moving parts can have many advantages. In this study hydrodynamic and heat transfer characteristics of electroosmotic flow under influence of lateral electric and transverse magnetic field, are studied numerically. Results indicate that the dimensionless parameters such as Hartmann number, intensity of the lateral electric field, pressure gradient parameter and aspect ratio have an important role in controlling flow. It can be implied that the enhancement of pressure gradient leads to the decrease of critical Hartmann number, and this dependency can be reduced from 44% to 7% for S = 0:5 to S = 50 in two pressure gradients of = 1 and = 20. In addition, the reduction of aspect ratio of microchannel section leads to the increment of critical Hartmann number in a specified lateral electric field. At the end, thermal analysis is being done by consideration of the effects of magnetic and electric fields on the Nusselt number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]