CFD study of flow-diffusion process in Y-shape micromixer

Abstract

A CFD simulation was carried out to investigate the mixing process in a Y-shape micromixer with the software Fluent 6.3. The definition of the “diffusion angle” is proposed to describe the molecular diffusion process associated with the flow at low Reynolds number. The linear relationship between the diffusion angle and the Peclet number (Pe) is determined by both theoretical analysis and numerical simulation. Moreover, the simulation results reveal that the diffusion angle is only related to the Peclet number whilst it is irrelevant to the changes of Re (Reynolds number) and Sc (Schmidt number). The range of Peclet number and Reynolds number for experimental measurement are also suggested as Pe≤10000 and Re≤10.

Keywords

simulation / flow-diffusion process / molecular diffusion / Y-shape micromixer

References

[1] QuakeS R, SchererA. From micro-to nanofabrication with soft materials [J]. Science, 2000, 290: 1536-1540

[2] AnderssonH, van den BergA. Microfluidic devices for cellomics: A review [J]. Sensor Actuator B: Chemical, 2003, 92(3): 315-325

[3] EbrahimiS, Hasanzadeh-BarforoushiA, NejatA, KowsaryF. Numerical study of mixing and heat transfer in mixed electroosmotic/pressure driven flow through T-shaped microchannels [J]. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2014, 75(8): 565-580

[4] WangX-b, YangJ, HuangYing. Cell separation by dielectrophoretic filed-flow-fractionation [J]. Anal Chem, 2002, 72(4): 832-839

[5] TallarekU, RappE, ScheenenT, BayerG, van AsH. Electroosmotic and pressure-driven flow in open and packed capillaries: Velocity distributions and fluid dispersion [J]. Anal Chem, 2000, 72(10): 832-839

[6] ChiuD T, JeonN L, HuangS, KaneR S, WargoC J, ChoiI S, IngberD E. Patterned deposition of cells and proteins onto surfaces by using three-dimensional microfluidic systems [J]. Proc Natl ACAD Sci USA, 2000, 97(6): 2408-2413

[7] LinY, YuY, WangZ-y, TuS-t, WangZ-dong. Laminar flow diffusion interface control in a microchannel with accurate Raman measurement [J]. Chemical Engineering and Processing, 2012, 57/58: 1-7

[8] SoleymaniA, KolehmainenE, TurunenI. Numerical and experimental investigations of liquid mixing in T-type micromixers [J]. Chemical Engineering Journal, 2008, 135: 219-228

[9] HsiehS S, LinJ W, ChenJ H. mixing efficiency of Y-type micromixers with different angles [J]. International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow, 2013, 44(12): 130-139

[10] RanRuiSimulation and experimental research on microfluidic chip [D], 2006ShanghaiChinese Academy of Sciences

[11] AfzalA, KimK Y. Flow and mixing analysis of non-Newtonian fluids in straight and serpentine microchannels [J]. Chemical Engineering Science, 2014, 116: 263-274

[12] WangR-jin. Numerical simulation of transverse diffusion in a microchannel [J]. Journal of Hydrodynamics, 2004, 16(6): 651-657

[13] ZhangX-fengStudy on flow and Mixing technique in Microfluidic systems [D], 2007HefeiUniversity of Science and Technology of China

[14] GobbyD, GavriilidA, AngeliP. Mixing characteristics of T type microfluidic mixers [J]. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 2001, 11(2): 126-132

[15] AdeosunJ T, LawalA. Numerical and experimental studies of mixing characteristics in a T-junction microchannel using residence-time distribution [J]. Chemical Engineering Science, 2009, 64(10): 2422-2432

[16] WangR-jinResearch on the mechanism of diffusion and mixing in the micro-channel flow and micro-mixer [D], 2005HangzhouZhejiang University

[17] ZhengYiStudy on the secondary flowing etching method inside microchannels based on the control of microscale laminar flow [D], 2010HangzhouZhejiang University