Fluidnetz

Fluidnetz is a conceptual framework used to describe and analyze interconnected networks of fluid channels and conduits. It is applied in microfluidics, soft robotics, and industrial process engineering to design modular, scalable systems where liquids or gases are transported, mixed, or processed through a network of pathways. In Fluidnetz, the network is treated as a graph with nodes representing reservoirs or junctions and edges representing channels with assigned hydraulic properties.

In steady-state analysis, fluid flow obeys the same general principles as electrical circuits through an analogy between pressure and voltage, flow rate and current, and hydraulic resistance and electrical resistance. For a channel, the pressure drop ΔP is related to the flow rate Q by Poiseuille’s law, ΔP = Q R, where R is the hydraulic resistance. At each node, mass conservation requires that the sum of incoming flows equals the sum of outgoing flows. This yields a solvable linear system for node pressures, from which all Q and P values in the network can be determined. Dynamic behavior can be incorporated by introducing fluid storage elements (compliance), leading to time-dependent equations analogous to RC circuits.

The concept builds on classical hydraulics and the electrical-network analogy and has grown with advances in microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip technologies. It supports rapid design, optimization, and control of complex fluid systems by enabling modular layouts and systematic analysis of flow distribution, mixing, and residence time.

Applications of Fluidnetz include lab-on-a-chip biochemical assays, multi-channel chemical synthesis, electronic cooling liquid networks, and actuation or sensing in soft robotic systems. Challenges include fabrication tolerances, non-ideal fluid properties, backflow, clogging, and the need for robust control strategies to manage complex flow interactions.