Viscous Oil-Water Flow in a Microchannel: Flow Patterns and Flow Development

The flow characteristics of a highly viscous oil and water mixture in a circular microchannel have been investigated. Water and silicone oil with a viscosity of 863 mPa.s were injected into a fused silica microchannel with a diameter of 250 μm. Before each experiment, the microchannel was initially saturated with either oil or water. In the initially oil-saturated case, different liquid-liquid flow patterns were observed and classified over a wide range of oil and water flow rates. As a special case, the flow of water at zero oil flow rate in a microchannel initially filled with silicone oil was also studied. When the microchannel was initially saturated with water, the oil formed a jet in water at the injection point but developed an instability at the oil-water interface downstream and eventually broke up into droplets.

Numerical Calculation of Triangle Circulation Drip Irrigation Emitters

Based on the hydraulic characteristics of triangle circulation, sudden-expansion pipe and sudden contraction pipe, Construct a drip irrigation emitter with strong turbulent flow, large over-current cross-section and strong anti-clogging ability. Triangular circulation flow path emitters for the key structural parameters for the factors, application of computer numerical fluid dynamics CFD software FLUENT6.3, simulate triangular circulation flow channel structure, analyze the influence of various structural parameters on hydraulic performance of emitters, flow index, flow rate and the anti-clogging ability. The results show that increase unit cusp, unit chamfer, the flow index increased, but the effect to varying degrees; inlet dimension increase, flow index reduced; flow channel depth and flow channel width increases, the discharge increases. Increase unit cusp, unit chamfered, can improve the anti-clogging performance of emitters. Based on the above results, to design an emitter structure with good performance, and its numerical simulation analysis, the flow index, flow rate and anti-clogging ability have met the requirements of drip irrigation. Provide a theoretical basis for the triangle circulation emitter structure design and quantitative analysis. The research has a positive meaning for energy conservation.

A Comparison on the Heat Transfer and Flow Characteristics of TiO2-Water Nanofluids Having Two Different Chemical Agents

Heat transfer performance and flow characteristics of aqueous TiO2 nanofluids with particle volume fraction of 0.2% flowing under turbulent flow regime are investigated. The test section is a 1.5 m long counter-flow double tube heat exchanger. Two different nanofluids are used as working fluids at the same concentration. Firstly, TiO2 nanoparticles with mean diameters of 21 nm mixed with small amount of CTAB (about 0.01%) named “SAM 1”. Secondly, VP Disp. W740x provided by DEGUSSA AG Company is used and called “SAM 2”. The latter mixture is composed of TiO2 nanoparticle with average diameter of 21 nm dispersed in water. The pH values of nanofluid SAM 1 and SAM 2 are 7.6 and 7.5, respectively. The heat transfer performance and friction characteristics of two samples of nanofluid were presented. In addition, the Nusselt numbers predicted from the published correlation for nanofluids are compared with the present experimental data.

Dependence of the Contact Angle on Adsorption at the Solid-Liquid Interface

A method for determining the surface tension of solid-fluid interfaces has been proposed. For a given temperature and fluid-solid combination, these surface tensions are expressed in terms of material properties that can be determined by measuring the amount of vapor adsorbed on the solid surface as a function of xV, the ratio of the vapor-phase pressure to the saturation-vapor pressure. The thermodynamic concept of pressure is shown to be in conflict with that of continuum mechanics, but is supported experimentally. This approach leads to the prediction that the contact angle, θ, can only exist in a narrow pressure range and that in this pressure range, the solid-vapor surface tension is constant and equal to the surface tension of the liquid-vapor interface, γLV. The surface tension of the solid-liquid interface, γSL, may be expressed in terms of measurable properties, γLV and θ: γSL = γLV(1 − cosθ). The value of θ is predicted to depend on both the pressure in the liquid at the three-phase, line x3L, and the three-phase line curvature, Ccl. We examine these predictions using sessile water droplets on a polished Cu surface, maintained in a closed, constant volume, isothermal container. The value of θ is found to depend on the adsorption at the solid-liquid interface, nSL = nSL(x3L,Ccl). The predicted value of θ is compared with that measured, and found to be in close agreement, but no effect of line tension is found.

Numerical Multiphysics Modeling of Microdroplet Motion Dynamics in Digital Microfluidic Systems

In this paper a novel numerical algorithm is proposed for modeling the transient motion of microdroplets in digital microfluidic systems. The new methodology combines the effects of the electrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures to calculate the actuating and opposing forces and the moving boundary of the microdroplet. The proposed model successfully predicts transient motion of the microdroplet in digital microfluidic systems, which is crucial in the design, control and fabrication of such devices. The results of such an analysis are in agreement with the expected trend.

Moderate Reynolds Number Mixing in a T-Channel

An experimental investigation of water flow in a T-shaped channel with rectangular cross section (20 × 20 mm inlet ID and 20 × 40 mm outlet ID) has been conducted for a Reynolds number Re range of 56 to 422, based on inlet diameter. Dynamical conditions and the T-channel geometry of the current study are applicable to the microscale. This study supports a large body of numerical work, and resolution and the interrogation region are extended beyond previous experimental studies. Laser induced fluorescence (LIF) and particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) are used to characterize flow behaviors over the broad range of Re where realistic T-channels operate. Scalar structures previously unresolved in the literature are presented. Special attention is paid to the unsteady flow regimes that develop at moderate Re, which significantly impact mixing but are not yet well characterized or understood. An unsteady symmetric topology, which develops at higher Re and negatively impacts mixing, is presented, and mechanisms behind the wide range of mixing qualities predicted for this regime are explained. An optimal Re operating range is identified based on multiple experimental trials.

Two Algorithms for Solving Coupled Particle Dynamics and Flow Field Equations in Two-Phase Flows

Two methods for solving coupled particle dynamics and flow field equations simultaneously by considering fluid-particle interactions to simulate two-phase flow are presented and compared. In many conditions, such as magnetic micro mixers and shooting high velocity particles in fluid, the fluid-particle interactions can not be neglected. In these cases it is necessary to consider fluid-particle interactions and solve the related coupled equations simultaneously. To solve these equations, suitable algorithms should be used to improve convergence speed and solution accuracy. In this paper two algorithms for solving coupled incompressible Navier-Stokes and particle dynamics equations are proposed and their efficiencies are compared by using them in a computer program. The main criterion that is used for comparison is the time they need to converge for a specific accuracy. In the first algorithm the particle dynamics and flow field equations are solved simultaneously but separately. In the second algorithm in each iteration for solving flow field equations, the particle dynamics equation is also solved. Results for some test cases are presented and compared. According to the results the second algorithm is faster than the first one especially when there is a strong coupling between phases.

The Pressure Drop and Dynamic Contact Angle of Motion of Triple-Lines in Hydrophobic Microchannels

At two-phase flow in microchannels, slug flow regime is different for wettability of surface. A slug in a hydrophilic microchannel has liquid film. However, a slug in a hydrophobic microchannel has no liquid film instead, the slug has triple-lines and makes higher pressure drop due to the motion of the triple-line. In previous researches, pressure drop of triple-line is depended of dynamic contact angle, channel diameter and fluid property. And, dynamic contact angle is depended of static contact angle, superficial velocity and fluid property. In order to understand the pressure drop of motion of triple-lines, pressure drop of slug with triple-lines in case of various diameters (0.546, 0.763, 1.018, 1.555, 2.075 mm), various fluids (D.I.water, D.I.water-1, 5, 10% ethanol mixture) and various superficial velocity (j = 0.01∼0.4 m/s) was measured. Dynamic contact angle was calculated from relation of the pressure drop of slug with triple-lines. Comparing with previous dynamic contact angle correlations, previous correlation underestimated dynamic contact angle in the region of this study. (10−4≤Ca≤10−3, 10−2≤We≤10−1, 68°≤θS≤110°)

Measurement of Burst Pressure of Capillary Burst Valve

Capillary burst valve (CBV), a counterpart to an elastomeric diaphragm microvalve, handles fluid in microchannels by capillarity. Thus, it avoids integration of mechanical components. We experimentally estimated the burst pressure, beyond which CBV cannot hold fluid, using fluids with distinct surface tensions in CBVs grafted with distinct surface constitutions in microchannels. We found that both the fluid surface tension and the solid surface constitution influence the burst pressure. The burst pressure reduces more significantly under the influence of the fluid surface tension.

Prediction of Chemical Reaction Yield in a Microreactor and Development of a Pilot Plant Using the Numbering-Up of Microreactors

The chemical reaction yield was predicted by using Monte Carlo simulation. The targeted chemical reaction of a performance evaluation using the microreactor is the consecutive reaction. The main product P1 is formed in the first stage with the reaction rate constant k1. Moreover, the byproduct P2 is formed in the second stage with the reaction rate constant k2. It was found that the yield of main product P1 was improved by using a microreactor when the ratio of the reaction rate constants became k1/k2 >1. To evaluate the Monte Carlo simulation result, the yields of the main products obtained in three consecutive reactions. It was found that the yield of the main product in cased of k1/k2 >1 increased when the microreactor was uesd. Next, a pilot plant involving the numbering-up of 20 microreactors was developed. The 20 microreactor units were stacked in four sets, each containing five microreactor units arranged. The maximum flow rate when 20 microreactors were used was 1 × 104 mm3/s, which corresponds to 72 t/year. Evaluation of the chemical performance of the pilot plant was conducted using a nitration reaction. The pilot plant was found to capable of increasing the production scale without decreasing the yield of the products.