Optimization of continuous particle separation in a symmetric sharp corner microchannel

The separation of circulating tumor cells from the bloodstream with high purity plays a crucial role in the treatment of cancer. Design and fabrication of cell sorters based on numerical models can lead to optimized cell sorters in terms of throughput, purity, and size. Based on a numerical model, a symmetric sharp corner microchannel was developed and optimized in this study to achieve a more compact cell sorter with high-purity output. Sharp corners in the microchannel generate centrifugal and inertial lift forces that cause particles (7.32 and 15.5 μm) to separate. The proposed numerical model was validated using experimental data. The proposed method reduced the device size by up to 19% while retaining a purity level of 95.45%. These results will have an impact on designing compact cell sorters with high purity output for implantable applications.