Simulating "Macroscopic" Behavior of Droplet-Based Microfluidic Systems

In this paper we present an easy-to-handle model for the analysis and simulation of droplet-based microfluidic networks. The model is capable to capture the "macroscopic" dynamics of the droplets in a purely microfluidic network, i.e., to determine their path across the circuit according to the fluidic parameters of the system and the inputs at the boundaries. We start with a quick overview of microfluidic basics and recall its main governing rules. We then describe in detail the proposed iterative model, which is finally tested and validated by means of experiments.