Cluster Dynamics in Flow of Suspended Particles in Microchannels

Cluster dynamics in microchannels due to flow of dilute suspensions of polystyrene spherical particles has been studied experimentally. Cluster-cluster interaction as well as the functional dependence of cluster growth rate on several control parameters has been studied. Destructive, e.g. cluster collision, and constructive modes, e.g. cluster merging, of cluster-cluster interaction have been observed. Cluster growth rate with time is found to increase with either particle concentration or shear strain rate, and decrease with channel-height to particle-diameter ratio.