Showcase: Magnetic Separation

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 19:10:43 +0200
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We are pleased to present a simulation of the deposition of magnetic particles using OpenLB, an open-source lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) software. High-gradient magnetic fishing (HGMF) is a downstream processing technique for biomolecules such as proteins. In the initial step, magnetic particles are coated with a layer containing specific ligands that bind to a designated target molecule. These particles are then introduced into a medium that contains the target molecule, allowing adsorption of the molecules onto the ligands. Subsequently, the particles are separated using a magnetized wire and transferred to another medium. Finally, an elution step is performed to recover the purified molecules. The simulation illustrates the deposition of magnetic particles on a magnetized single wire and models the magnetic separation step of the HGMF process. Dipole forces acting on the particles are taken into account through a coupled discrete element method-lattice Boltzmann method (DEM-LBM) approach, implemented within the open-source software OpenLB.