Levitation and controlled motion of matter in air have a wealth of potential applications ranging from materials processing to biochemistry and pharmaceuticals. We present a unique acoustophoretic concept for the contactless transport and handling of matter in air. Spatiotemporal modulation of the levitation acoustic field allows continuous planar transport and processing of multiple objects, from near-spherical (volume of 0.1-10 μL) to wire-like, without being limited by the acoustic wavelength. The independence of the handling principle from special material properties (magnetic, optical, or electrical) is illustrated with a wide palette of application experiments, such as contactless droplet coalescence and mixing, solid-liquid encapsulation, absorption, dissolution, and DNA transfection. More than a century after the pioneering work of Lord Rayleigh on acoustic radiation pressure, a path-breaking concept is proposed to harvest the significant benefits of acoustic levitation in air.acoustics | fluid | ultrasounds | manipulation | microfluidics

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

In recent research, there has been a growing interest in the analysis of flow through microdiffusers and micropumps in order to characterize and optimize the performance of these devices. In this review, the recent advances in the numerical and experimental analysis of the steady and pulsating flows through microdiffusers and valveless micropumps are surveyed. The differences between the performance of microdiffusers and micropumps in steady and unsteady flow regimes are described. Qualitative and quantitative discussions of the effects of different design parameters on the performance of microdiffusers and valveless micropumps in both steady and unsteady flow regimes along with the contradictory results reported in the literature in this regard are provided. In addition, a summary of the latest micropump technologies along with the advantages and disadvantages of each mechanism with the emphasis on the innovative and lessreviewed micropumps are presented. Two important types of fixed microvalves, as part of valveless micropumps are described in details. Experimental flow visualization of steady and pulsating flows through microdiffusers and micropumps as a useful tool for better understanding the underlying micro-fluid dynamics is discussed. The present review reveals that there are many possible areas of research in the field of steady and unsteady flows through microdiffusers and micropumps in order to understand the effects of all important design parameters on the performance of these devices. List of symbols uVelocity in x direction (m/s) v Velocity in y direction (m/s) u max Maximum velocity in x direction (m/s) Q Volumetric flow rate (m 3 /s) Q net Net flow rate (m 3 /s) q Density (kg/m 3 ) p Pressure (Pa) p 0 Static pressure (Pa) t Time (s) x Axial position (m) y Transverse position (m) T Excitation period (s) l Shear viscosity (kg/m s) m Kinematic viscosity (m 2 /s) Re = u max D h /m Reynolds number St = x D h /u max Strouhal number Ro = x D h 2 /m = Re.St Roshko number Wo = D h /d Womersley number V Volume-average velocity (m/s) P Maximum pressure (Pa) Dp Frictional pressure drop (Pa) g Diffuser efficiency g max Maximum diffuser efficiency n d Total pressure loss coefficient in the diffuser direction n n Total pressure loss coefficient in the nozzle direction

We present here an in-depth analysis of particle levitation stability and the role of the radial and axial forces exerted on fixed spherical and ellipsoidal particles levitated in an axisymmetric acoustic levitator, over a wide range of particle sizes and surrounding medium viscosities. We show that the stability behaviour of a levitated particle in an axisymmetric levitator is unequivocally connected to the radial forces: the loss of levitation stability is always due to the change of the radial force sign from positive to negative. It is found that the axial force exerted on a sphere of radius R s increases with increasing viscosity for R s /λ < 0.0125 (λ is the acoustic wavelength), with the viscous contribution of this force scaling with the inverse of the sphere radius. The axial force decreases with increasing viscosity for spheres with R s /λ > 0.0125. The radial force, on the other hand, decreases monotonically with increasing viscosity. The radial and axial forces exerted on an ellipsoidal particle are larger than those exerted on a volume-equivalent sphere, up to the point where the ellipsoid starts to act as an obstacle to the formation of the standing wave in the levitator chamber.