Effect of Zeta Potential on the Performance of a Ring-Type Electroosmotic Mixer

Abstract

In order to achieve faster mixing, a new type of electrokinetic mixer with a T-type channel is introduced. The proposed mixer takes two fluids from different inlets and combines them into a single channel. The fluids then enter a mixing chamber with different inner and outer radii. Four microelectrodes are positioned on the outer wall of the mixing chamber. The electric potentials on the four microelectrodes are sinusoidal with respect to time and have various maximum voltages, zeta potentials and frequency values. The working fluid is water and each inlet has a different initial concentration values. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equation is solved in the channel, with a slip boundary condition on the inner and outer walls of the mixing chamber. The convection-diffusion equation is used to describe the concentration of the dissolved substances in the fluid. The pressure, concentration and flow fields in the channel are calculated and the results are graphically depicted for various flow and electric conditions.