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Cited by 3 publications
References 28 publications
In the present paper, we provide evidence of the vital impact of inertia on the flow in microfluidic networks, which is disclosed by the appearance of nonlinear velocity-pressure coupling. The experiments and numerical analysis of microfluidic junctions within the range of moderate Reynolds number (1 < Re < 250) revealed that inertial effects are of high relevance when Re > 10. Thus, our results estimate the applicability limit of the linear relationship between the flow rate and pressure drop in channels, commonly described by the so-called hydraulic resistance. Herein, we show that neglecting the nonlinear in their nature inertial effects can make such linear resistance-based approximation mistaken for the network operating beyond Re < 10. In the course of our research, we investigated the distribution of flows in connections of three channels in two flow modes. In the splitting mode, the flow from a common channel divides between two outputs, while in the merging mode, streams from two channels join together in a common duct. We tested a wide range of junction geometries characterized by parameters such as: (1) the angle between bifurcating channels (45°, 90°, 135° and 180°); (2) angle of the common channel relative to bifurcating channels (varied within the available range); (3) ratio of lengths of bifurcating channels (up to 8). The research revealed that the inertial effects strongly depend on angles between the channels. Additionally, we observed substantial differences between the distributions of flows in the splitting and merging modes in the same geometries, which reflects the non-reversibility of the motion of an inertial fluid. The promising aspect of our research is that for some combinations of both lengths and angles of the channels, the inertial contributions balance each other in such a way that the equations recover their linear character. In such an optimal configuration, the dependence on Reynolds number can be effectively mitigated.
In the present paper, we provide evidence of the vital impact of inertia on the flow in microfluidic networks, which is disclosed by the appearance of nonlinear velocity-pressure coupling. The experiments and numerical analysis of microfluidic junctions within the range of moderate Reynolds number (1 < Re < 250) revealed that inertial effects are of high relevance when Re > 10. Thus, our results estimate the applicability limit of the linear relationship between the flow rate and pressure drop in channels, commonly described by the so-called hydraulic resistance. Herein, we show that neglecting the nonlinear in their nature inertial effects can make such linear resistance-based approximation mistaken for the network operating beyond Re < 10. In the course of our research, we investigated the distribution of flows in connections of three channels in two flow modes. In the splitting mode, the flow from a common channel divides between two outputs, while in the merging mode, streams from two channels join together in a common duct. We tested a wide range of junction geometries characterized by parameters such as: (1) the angle between bifurcating channels (45°, 90°, 135° and 180°); (2) angle of the common channel relative to bifurcating channels (varied within the available range); (3) ratio of lengths of bifurcating channels (up to 8). The research revealed that the inertial effects strongly depend on angles between the channels. Additionally, we observed substantial differences between the distributions of flows in the splitting and merging modes in the same geometries, which reflects the non-reversibility of the motion of an inertial fluid. The promising aspect of our research is that for some combinations of both lengths and angles of the channels, the inertial contributions balance each other in such a way that the equations recover their linear character. In such an optimal configuration, the dependence on Reynolds number can be effectively mitigated.
The single-phase flow and droplet flow are investigated in a rectangular microchannel with a T-junction, through experiments and simulations to improve the understanding of a droplet flow and its effect on overall flow in channels with junctions. Droplet behavior can be divided into three modes: flow into the side branch, a split at the junction, and flow into the downstream channel. In branches of the junction, the flow rate ratio and the pressure difference are affected by droplets with the same flow behavior flowing in the junction. The change in the volumetric flow rate ratio and pressure difference between two channels also depend on droplet size and flow conditions. Furthermore, the length of the droplet affects whether the droplet splits at the junction, and this behavior can be documented by a power law relationship between the capillary number Ca and droplet length.
Two-phase flows are found in several industrial systems/applications, including boilers and condensers, which are used in power generation or refrigeration, steam generators, oil/gas extraction wells and refineries, flame stabilizers, safety valves, among many others. The structure of these flows is complex, and it is largely governed by the extent of interphase interactions. In the last two decades, due to a large development of microfabrication technologies, many microstructured devices involving several elements (constrictions, contractions, expansions, obstacles, or T-junctions) have been designed and manufactured. The pursuit for innovation in two-phase flows in these elements require an understanding and control of the behaviour of bubble/droplet flow. The need to systematize the most relevant studies that involve these issues constitutes the motivation for this review. In the present work, literature addressing gas-liquid and liquid-liquid flows, with Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, and covering theoretical, experimental, and numerical approaches, is reviewed. Particular focus is given to the deformation, coalescence, and breakup mechanisms when bubbles and droplets pass through the aforementioned microfluidic elements.Micromachines 2020, 11, 201 2 of 22 droplets through a sudden/gradual expansion/contraction, several numerical and experimental works considered the flow through horizontal pipes, but they are mainly focused on pressure drop [6][7][8][9].The heat and mass transfer can be significantly enhanced in a microsystem due to the high surface volume ratio. Currently, bubble/droplet-based microfluidics has been successfully applied in chemical and biological analysis [10,11], the synthesis of advanced materials [12], sample pretreatment [13], and the encapsulation of cells [14]. Droplets are liquid entities that flow in a immiscible liquid continuous phase, and bubbles are gas entities also flowing in a liquid fluid. The use of droplets as microreactors presents a lot of advantages when compared with single-phase microfluidics, such as: confinement of reactants or prevention of longitudinal dispersion, and cross contamination between samples [15]. The reduction of unwanted adhesion/absorption of the material confined in droplets at the microchannel walls, the possibility of varying, in each droplet the physicochemical conditions under which chemical or biological process develop, and the facilitated heat/mass transport due to the fast mixing promoted by droplets are other benefits [15,16]. The use of bubbles might be interesting to produce contrast agents in medical applications [17], as a source of reactants in the gas phase to promote reactions in liquid or solid (i.e., microchannel wall) phases [18], and to study in vitro gas embolisms [19].Microfluidic devices (length scales lower than one millimeter) comprise microfluidic elements, analogous to their macroscale counterparts, to transport and distribute fluids, to promote mixing, reaction, and mass transfer. In the case of multiphase flows, ...
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