Session: 04-11-01 Posters

Paper Number: 195189

195189 - Passive Mixing Enhancement of Membrane Transport in Planar Microfluidic Oxygenators 

Abstract: 

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides life-sustaining oxygenation and carbon dioxide removal for patients with severe pulmonary dysfunction. However, conventional ECMO systems require large priming volumes and present extensive blood-contacting surface areas, which can increase the risk of complications, especially in neonatal and pediatric applications. Microfluidic ECMO systems offer a promising alternative by reducing blood volume requirements and device surface area while maintaining gas transfer functionality.

Prior work investigating membrane materials with higher oxygen permeability showed limited improvement in transport performance, suggesting that membrane permeability alone may not be the dominant limitation. Accordingly, this study examines whether passive mixing elements can enhance convective transport in the flow channel and thereby improve oxygen transfer in a planar microfluidic oxygenator. Although passive micromixers are commonly used to promote bulk mixing of co-flowing streams, grooved geometries like staggered herringbone mixers (SHMs) may also improve transport between a reactive surface and the flowing fluid. Here, we evaluate the effectiveness of geometries similar to SHMs for enhancing oxygen transport and investigate the geometric and operating parameters that govern their performance.

Computational fluid dynamics and species transport simulations were performed in COMSOL Multiphysics to compare a baseline planar geometry with oxygenator designs incorporating the grooved passive elements. Parametric sweeps were conducted to identify conditions that maximize transport enhancement. Devices were fabricated using 3D printing, and laser microscope metrology was used to verify critical dimensions. Experimental testing was then performed to measure the inlet-to-outlet increase in dissolved oxygen concentration across multiple device configurations. Together, the computational and experimental results assess the potential of passive mixing strategies to improve transport performance in microfluidic oxygenators and other membrane-based devices with planar flow geometries.

Presenting Author: Abdelrahman Ghazy Rochester Institute of Technology

Presenting Author Biography: 

Authors:

Abdelrahman Ghazy Rochester Institute of Technology
Steven Day Rochester Institute of Technology