Study of Fluidic transport through Nanotubes

Vineet K. Mishra Dhiren Baro Samrat Roy Rajib Das Shahnawaz Ahmed

Introduction
Nanoflow vs Macroflow The surface-to-volume ratio is very high in nanofluidic systems. The critical channel dimension in nanoflows can be comparable to size of fluid molecules. Density fluctuations over an interatomic distance can be important in nanoflows. Transport properties such as diffusion coefficient and viscosity can be different in confined nanoflows. The validity of Continuum Theory can be debatable.

Theory
Continuum Hypothesis (Schaaf and Chambre, 1961)

Knudsen Number: =

Kn< 0.01 Navier-Stokes Equation (NSE) can be applied with no slip boundary condition. 0.01 <Kn< 0.1 NSE can be applied with slip flow. Kn> 10 free molecular flow.

Modeling of Nanoflow
Pressure Driven flows Shear Driven flows

Electrokinetic flows
Surface tension driven flows

Applications
Flow Detection Liquid Transport (pumping)

Control of Molecular Transport

Energy Conversion Seperation

References
Fluid flow in carbon nanotubes and nanopipes. -M. Whitby and N. Quirke Principles and applications of nanofluidic transport. -W. Sparreboom, A. van den Berg, J.C.T. Ejikel Transport in nanofluidic systems: a review of theory and applications. -W. Sparreboom, A. van den Berg, J.C.T. Ejikel Flow of rarefied gases -S. A. Schaaf & P. L. Chambre