Suggestions for the operation of radial flow cells in cell adhesion and biofouling studies

Abstract

An analysis of the radial flow cell is presented to show that the assumption of creeping laminar flow should be used cautiously. Simple models which account for the influence of fluid inertial forces over most of the width of the plate are reviewed. A modified Reynolds number is introduced which may be used to test the validity of the creeping flow solution.

Laminar flow in radial flow cell with small aspect ratios: Numerical and experimental study

“…(3) was valid above a radius corresponding to a Re modified value of 0.27 for Eq. (4), which is in good agreement with Fryer et al (1985). Smaller radial positions correspond to higher values of Eq.…”

“…Fryer et al (1985) expressed this condition mathematically. They introduced a modified Reynolds number and proposed a threshold value of 0.25 in order to compute the radial positions where Eq.…”

“…Application of flow systems is frequently reported in microbial adhesion studies. Such flow systems are for instance the parallel plate flow cell (PPFC) (Bakker et al, 2003;Boonaert et al, 2002;Boulangé-Petermann et al, 2003Dufrêne et al, 1996;Sjollema, 1990) or the radial-flow cell (RFC) (Cozens-Roberts et al, 1990;Fowler and McKay, 1980;Fryer et al, 1985). The latter has been used recently to assess the removal of various soils from solid substrates under different wall shear stress ranges (Demilly et al, 2006;Jensen and Friis, 2004;Joscelyne and Trägardh, 1997;Klavenes et al, 2002;Perni et al, 2007).…”

“…However, they are not many papers dealing with the characterization of the shear stress distribution at the lower wall of the RFC (Fryer et al, 1985;DiMilla, 1997, 1998;Jensen and Friis, 2004;Moller, 1963) as many of them are concerned with heat transfer or mass transfer applications (e.g. use of impinging jets as coolant, CVD deposition) (Li et al, 2006;Park et al, 2003).…”

Application of fluid mechanic and kinetic models to characterize mammalian cell detachment in a radial-flow chamber

“…In particular, Fryer et al (1985) introduced the concept that observations of cell detachment at relatively small radial distances from the inlet can be difficult to interpret because the assumption of creeping flow becomes invalid: an inertial correction must be included in the analysis. Previous studies (e.g., Fowler and McKay, 1980;Cozens-Roberts et al, 1990) have suggested that the introduction of an empirical ''offset'' to the solution for creeping flow can correct for the presence of a finite-sized inlet.…”