Particle-Based Methods for Simulation of Complex Fluids

We model suspensions of biological cells and polymers in microscale flows through particle-based simulation methods, including Brownian Dynamics (BD), Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) and Stochastic Rotation Dynamics (SRD). We describe the ways in which these models track momentum exchange and replicate the behavior of the Navier-Stokes equation. Issues of inertia and compressibility are discussed and their influence on particle-based simulation methods is explored. We then use these methods to predict polymer dynamics in microfluidic flows including DNA separation in micro-channel devices. Methods of separating polymer molecules based on their size and biological cells based on their flexibility are discussed. The latter can be used as a means of separating cancer cells from normal cells.