Microfluidic droplet generation has emerged as a promising technique for producing highly uniform hydrogel microparticles for controlled drug delivery. Droplet size and monodispersity strongly influence encapsulation efficiency, diffusion characteristics, and ultimately the drug release profile. In this project, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model will be developed in COMSOL Multiphysics to simulate two-phase flow within a flow-focusing microfluidic device for alginate droplet generation. The numerical model will incorporate the relevant fluid properties, interfacial tension, and hydrodynamic conditions to investigate the droplet formation mechanism under different operating parameters. The simulation results will then be validated against available experimental observations, including droplet size, generation frequency, and breakup behavior, to ensure the reliability of the numerical model.
Following validation, the verified model will be used as a predictive tool to optimize the microfluidic operating conditions by systematically evaluating the effects of key hydrodynamic parameters, such as the flow rates of the continuous and dispersed phases and their flow-rate ratio, on droplet size, uniformity, and formation stability. The optimized conditions will be used to generate highly monodisperse alginate droplets, and the influence of improved droplet uniformity on controlled drug release behavior will be investigated through theoretical analysis and established mass transport principles. Ultimately, the study aims to identify an optimized operating window and develop a predictive framework that links microfluidic hydrodynamics, droplet characteristics, and drug delivery performance, providing practical guidelines for the design of microfluidic systems used in hydrogel-based drug delivery applications.
