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Deformation and breakup of a ferrofluid compound droplet migrating in a microchannel under a magnetic field: a phase-field-based multiple-relaxation time lattice Boltzmann study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 June 2025

Parham Poureslami Open the ORCID record for Parham Poureslami [Opens in a new window] ,
Mohammad Majidi ,
Javad Ranjbar Kermani Open the ORCID record for Javad Ranjbar Kermani [Opens in a new window]  and
Mohamad Ali Bijarchi Open the ORCID record for Mohamad Ali Bijarchi [Opens in a new window]
Parham Poureslami
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Mohammad Majidi
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Javad Ranjbar Kermani
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Mohamad Ali Bijarchi*
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
*
Corresponding author: Mohamad Ali Bijarchi, bijarchi@sharif.edu
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Abstract

Though ubiquitous in many engineering applications, including drug delivery, the compound droplet hydrodynamics in confined geometries have been barely surveyed. For the first time, this study thoroughly investigates the hydrodynamics of a ferrofluid compound droplet (FCD) during its migration in a microchannel under the presence of a pressure-driven flow and a uniform external magnetic field (UEMF) to manipulate its morphology and retard its breakup. Finite difference and phase-field multiple-relaxation time lattice Boltzmann approaches are coupled to determine the magnetic field and ternary flow system, respectively. First, the influence of the magnetic Bond number (${Bo}_m$) on the FCD morphology is explored depending on whether the core or shell is ferrofluid when the UEMF is applied along $\alpha =0^\circ$ and $\alpha =90^\circ$ relative to the fluid flow. It is ascertained that imposing the UEMF at $\alpha =0^\circ$ when the shell is ferrofluid can postpone the breakup. Intriguingly, when the core is ferrofluid, strengthening the UEMF enlarges the shell deformation. Afterwards, the effects of the capillary number (${Ca}$), density ratio, viscosity ratio, radius ratio and surface tension coefficients are scrutinised on the FCD deformation and breakup. The results indicate that augmenting the core-to-shell viscosity and density ratios accelerates the breakup process. Additionally, surface tension between the core and shell suppresses the core deformation. Moreover, increasing the ${Ca}$ intensifies the viscous drag force exerted on the shell, flattening its rear side, which causes a triangular-like configuration. Ultimately, by varying ${Bo}_m$ and ${Ca}$, five distinct regimes are observed, whose regime map is established.

JFM classification

Drops and Bubbles: Drops and Bubbles Micro-/Nano-fluid dynamics: Microfluidics
Type
JFM Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 1013 , 25 June 2025 , A37
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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