3-DIMENSIONAL MODELING OF THE COUPLED FLOW FIELD AND HEAT-TRANSFER IN CONTINUOUS-FLOW ELECTROPHORESIS

A numerical model describing the steady, three-dimensional fluid flow and heat transfer in continuous-flow zone electrophoresis is developed to show the influence of gravitation on this process. It is capable of predicting undesirable effects, due to natural convection, such as back-flow and inlet and outlet disturbances. Comparison with a simpler two-dimensional model shows that the latter can be used to represent flow and heat transfer in the central part of the chamber. The simpler model is used to establish a correlation which gives the conditions beyond which back-flow occurs.