Biomagnetic Fluid Dynamics in Medical Applications
Summary
Biomagnetic fluid dynamics examines the behaviour of biological fluids, most notably blood, under the influence of magnetic fields and embedded magnetic particles. This interdisciplinary field combines principles of magnetohydrodynamics and ferrohydrodynamics with biomedical engineering to control flow patterns, enhance heat transfer and target therapeutic agents. Applications span from magnetic hyperthermia—where ferromagnetic nanoparticles convert electromagnetic energy into heat for tumour ablation—to magnetically guided drug delivery, in which drug-laden magnetic carriers are steered through the vasculature toward specific sites. Beyond therapeutic interventions, biomagnetic fluid dynamics informs non-invasive imaging techniques and the design of microfluidic devices for diagnostics. Central challenges include modelling the coupled fluid, thermal and magnetic interactions, accommodating non-Newtonian character of blood, and ensuring biocompatibility of magnetic agents. Advances in numerical methods and analytical solutions have improved predictive accuracy, enabling optimisation of field strengths, particle characteristics and flow conditions to maximise efficacy while minimising collateral effects.
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Biomagnetic Fluid Dynamics in Medical Applications publication trend
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Technical terms
Biomagnetic fluid: A biological fluid containing magnetic particles or exhibiting magnetisation, whose flow responds to applied magnetic fields.
Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD): The study of electrically conductive fluid dynamics in the presence of magnetic fields, accounting for Lorentz forces and induced currents.
Ferrohydrodynamics (FHD): The branch of fluid mechanics dealing with fluids containing colloidal ferromagnetic particles, where magnetisation alters flow behaviour.
Micropolar fluid: A fluid model that incorporates micro-scale rotations of particles, capturing effects of spin viscosity and anisotropic stress in magnetised suspensions.
Lorentz force: The force exerted on charged particles within a conductive fluid by an external magnetic field, influencing flow direction and stability.
Skin friction coefficient: A dimensionless measure of shear stress at a fluid–solid interface, reflecting viscous resistance and surface interactions.
References
- Flow and Heat Transfer of CoFe2O4-Blood Due to a Rotating Stretchable Cylinder under the Influence of a Magnetic Field. Bioengineering (2024).
- Effect of micromagnetorotation on magnetohydrodynamic Poiseuille micropolar flow: analytical solutions and stability analysis. Journal of Fluid Mechanics (2021).
- Mixed Finite Element Formulation for Navier–Stokes Equations for Magnetic Effects on Biomagnetic Fluid in a Rectangular Channel. Materials (2022).
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