OpenFOAM is a popular, open source, versatile CFD simulation software and definitely capable of simulating microfluidic droplet generation (see e.g. Article Investigation of Different Droplet Formation Regimes in a T-...
andThesis Study of Microfluidic Mixing and Droplet Generation for 3D P...
).But setting up a working, validated initial scenario (PDMS boundary conditions, fluorinated oil viscosities, surface tension with PicoSurf, friction, meshing, etc.) is difficult and work intensive. On the other hand, if there was an open source dataset/workflow to get started, it would be relatively easy to modify and extend it. Can you suggest an available starting point?
This approach does not use openFOAM, but is also open source and looks very promising. Any first hand experiences and comparisons?
Preprint Advanced Simulation of Droplet Microfluidics
hi,
well,, at least for me the hardest part for openFOAM is the pre-processing...that is not obvious at all.... after that the rest is normal CFD + a little bit of programming. for the pre-processing I would recommend you to follow these videos from Tobias holwmann (i highly recommend them) https://holzmann-cfd.com/community/training-videos/archived-openfoam-usage from part 5 is interesting if it is you that is creating the CAD model (the first parts he spends repairing the STEP file...) also for really "easy" approach if you are in public research (and you have OF in ubuntu) you have the free option of helyx-os https://engys.com/products/helyx-os that could help you, I have no experience with it, but it looks really nice from what I saw but as I work in windows there is no free vr. also as always the GUI software will become limiting at one point. also a good tip is to have a look at online-CFD.com is the best forum for OF. and for the cat conception you can use salome (tobias use it in the preprocessing of other STEP files but you can at the same time create them directly in salome) but it is not easy at all or at least i did not like it.... I can recomend you onshape that is free for educational. ah! and also if you dont want to go too deep in the simulations (using existing solvers etc) you have http://simscale.com/ that is a great GUI that integers OF in the background.
good luck!
Hi Franco Otaola, thank you for your insight. It is also the the validation and iteration that I am cautious about in terms of time investment.
Yes, I make my own CAD models and I also use OnShape (even though not Free and Open Source, but great for collaboration and online work) e.g. https://cad.onshape.com/documents/afff5b2c0e8b8244464dd92f/w/9890282b2beaf4e8e7f43b35/e/7f820d6b2e29a7714b4ae4fe, but unfortunately most existing Microfluidic designs are in AutoCAD, so it is often efficient to stay in that overloaded environment. I also noticed that there is an Open Source meshing tool (GMSH) that works with FreeCAD http://www.cfdyna.com/Home/gmshCatalogue.html.
Unfortunately many of the Holzmann tutorials are now pay-walled. It's nice to see that the ones you suggest are not (yet). Thanks!
@Douglas Michael Densmore does your cool Open Source project https://www.researchgate.net/project/3DuF-Open-Source-Initiative explore a simulation tool for droplet generation?
Tobias Wenzel , if you have a look in the link i sent you, the tutorials are not paid, have a look. and for the cad, well with the power of onshape is quite easy to create microfluidics they are not difficult geometries but either way, if you have the autocad models I can imagine that autocad can export in STEP or at least IGES. so you can follow tobi's tutorial (and no it is not paid). he creates the surface meshes that are going to be used in snappyHex by creating surface meshes in salome, free, and easy to automatize with its dump python script. I tried Gmsh personally i did not like it, it does not mean at all that is not a completely viable path.
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