Simulation and design an E. coli-based rotary micropump for use in microfluidic systems: Integration of micro-nano-bio

This paper presents the results of the computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling of viscous fluid flow in a novel cell motor actuated micropump. A cell motor is a bacterial flagellar cell tethered to a surface by a single flagellum, this flagellum acts as a pivot around which the cell body rotates. As a test case for investigation, the micropump consisted of two Escherichia coli cell motors tethered to the bottom of a microchannel with fixed dimensions. The CFD modeling of the micropump was performed using CFD-ACE(+) simulation software (CFD Research Corporation). The biological cell motor was modeled as an ellipse with constant rotational speed of 10 Hz clockwise. The results of this model demonstrated the effect of the biological cell motor placement within the microchannel, as well as the rotational phase between the two biological cell motors, on the volumetric flowrate. Pumping action was observed as the cell motor location was moved adjacent to the sidewall of the microchannel. The rates of fluid pumping were of the order of I I pL/hr when the cell motors were rotating in phase and their placement was close to the sidewall of the microchannel.