Diffusive Molecular Communication with Disruptive Flows

In this paper, we study the performance of detectors in a diffusive molecular communication environment where steady uniform flow is present. We derive the expected number of information molecules to be observed in a passive spherical receiver, and determine the impact of flow on the assumption that the concentration of molecules throughout the receiver is uniform. Simulation results show the impact of advection on detector performance as a function of the flow's magnitude and direction. We highlight that there are disruptive flows, i.e., flows that are not in the direction of information transmission, that lead to an improvement in detector performance as long as the disruptive flow does not dominate diffusion and sufficient samples are taken.