摘要：Microfluidic devices like those used in chemical and biomedical applications
basically consist of different networks of microchannels that interconnect
chambers and reservoirs. The transport of fluids throughout the network is
driven by pressure gradients, electric fields, or a combination of the two,
which yields to the so-called electrokinetic flow. Analytical and
numerical models have been used to aid in the design and simulation before
fabrication with MEMS technology. Efficient numerical models are required
since typical microchannel dimensions are in the range of several micrometers
in width and depth and some centimeters in length. The numerical solution
is carried out by using PETSC-FEM, for which we have developed a python
interface for pre- and postprocessing using third-parties programs (Tetgen,
Mayavi). A parallelizable preconditioner for Domain Decomposition Methods
(DDM) by means of Finite Element discretization of Navier-Stokes equations is
used to improve the convergence of problems with different scales like in
microfluidic problems.
