2.3. Numerical Model
The model of the final design, created in SolidWorks (SolidWorks Corp.,
USA), was imported into COMSOL Multiphysics (COMSOL Inc., Sweden) for
three-dimensional simulations. Generally, the design consisted of four
traps connected through the inlet and outlet reservoirs, where the
cathode and anode electrodes were inserted.
The electric current and laminar flow modules in COMSOL were applied for
electric and flow field simulation in the device, respectively. Using
the electric current simulation, we determined the required total
electric current at the electrodes in the quadruple-fish device so that
each fish was exposed to the electric current of 3 µA, consistent with
our previous single-fish device[16]. The electric
field within a conductive media was modeled by solving Ohm’s law
equation using the steady-state DC electric module. Flow field
simulation with the relevant boundary, material and initial conditions
was also used to understand the fluid behavior and its correlation with
the experiment in terms of flow patterns and fish loading sequence in
the traps. Mesh independency was checked for both electric and flow
simulations to ensure accuracy.