Droplet Generation on a Centrifugal Disc: Novel Applications and Numerical Characterization Studies

The applications and characterization of microfluidic droplets on a centrifugal disc platform are explored leading to the development of a mathematical model predicting droplet size within 8.8% of experimentally observed values. Techniques for droplet production and droplet manipulations that had yet to be explored on the C.D. platform were briefly investigated as a part of this study. These novel applications included T-junction droplet production, particle capture, and the polymerization of hydro-gel droplets. The remainder of the work presented here explores the formation and further characterization of droplet microfluidics on the C.D. platform. The development of a predictive model is presented. Both single parameter linear models and multi-parameter linear models were fit to the data to identify any significant dependence in droplet size on geometric and experimental parameters. These various models were tested for statistical significance, accuracy and then evaluated for their simplicity in relation to their predictive power. The optimum model developed allows an investigator to predict the size range of droplets produced in a centrifugal based system from adjustable parameters in the disc geometry and experimental procedure. A dimensionless number analysis was also performed to gauge the range in which droplet production occurred on the C.D.