Geometric optimization of liquid–liquid slug flow in a flow-focusing millifluidic device for synthesis of nanomaterials

Li, Yuehao; Yamane, Dawit G.; Li, Shuning; Biswas, Sanchita; Reddy, Rupesh K.; Goettert, Jost; Nandakumar, K.; Kumar, Challa S. S. R.

doi:10.1016/j.cej.2012.11.111

Cited by 33 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 70 publications

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“…In our previous work of studying the slug formation dynamics inside a millifluidic reactor, the slug lengths and formation frequency predicted by VOF method achieved good agreement with the experimental observations. 25 Therefore, VOF method was selected in this work to predict the slug formation inside a microfluidic T-junction. Coupled with VOF method, a species transport model was applied to the dispersed phase to study the mixing process of two solutions.…”

Section: Numerical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…24 Li et al have also reported that the size distributions of the copper nanoparticles synthesized by liquid-liquid slug flow are influenced by the mixing performance inside the slugs. 25 Since 1961, Taylor has started the investigations of the internal flow inside slugs. 26 In the past decade, a number of experimental investigations have been reported to literatures which focus on the fluid dynamics of the droplet/slug flow in microfluidics devices.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Computational investigations of the mixing performance inside liquid slugs generated by a microfluidic T-junction

Reddy

Kumar

et al. 2014

Biomicrofluidics

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Droplet-based microfluidics has gained extensive research interest as it overcomes several challenges confronted by conventional single-phase microfluidics. The mixing performance inside droplets/slugs is critical in many applications such as advanced material syntheses and in situ kinetic measurements. In order to understand the effects of operating conditions on the mixing performance inside liquid slugs generated by a microfluidic T-junction, we have adopted the volume of fluid method coupled with the species transport model to study and quantify the mixing efficiencies inside slugs. Our simulation results demonstrate that an efficient mixing process is achieved by the intimate collaboration of the twirling effect and the recirculating flow. Only if the reagents are distributed transversely by the twirling effect, the recirculating flow can bring in convection mechanism thus facilitating mixing. By comparing the mixing performance inside slugs at various operating conditions, we find that slug size plays the key role in influencing the mixing performance as it determines the amount of fluid to be distributed by the twirling effect. For the cases where short slugs are generated, the mixing process is governed by the fast convection mechanism because the twirling effect can distribute the fluid to the flow path of the recirculating flow effectively. For cases with long slugs, the mixing process is dominated by the slow diffusion mechanism since the twirling effect is insufficient to distribute the large amount of fluid. In addition, our results show that increasing the operating velocity has limited effects on improving the mixing performance. This study provides the insight of the mixing process and may benefit the design and operations of droplet-based microfluidics.

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Section: Numerical Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Computational investigations of the mixing performance inside liquid slugs generated by a microfluidic T-junction

Reddy

Kumar

et al. 2014

Biomicrofluidics

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Immiscible liquid-liquid flows in microchannels have a number of applications such as emulsion production [1], nanomaterial synthesis [2], nitration [3], extraction processes [4] as well as other biochemical applications [5]. Microchannel devices provide high heat and mass transfer rates and enable fast, continuous and safe chemical reactions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flow patterns of immiscible liquid-liquid flow in a rectangular microchannel with T-junction

Yagodnitsyna

Kovalev

Bilsky

2016

Chemical Engineering Journal

111

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“…Multi-phase flow systems introduce a second immiscible flow to enhance mixing and transverse channel transport. The slug flow pattern takes some advantages on the large interfacial area, fast heat and mass transfer and reduced axial dispersion [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Preparation of micro oil droplets in micro-channel by digital jetting

Zhang¹,

Xu²,

Liu³

et al. 2016

Proceedings of the 2015 4th International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering

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Geometric optimization of liquid–liquid slug flow in a flow-focusing millifluidic device for synthesis of nanomaterials

Cited by 33 publications

References 70 publications

Computational investigations of the mixing performance inside liquid slugs generated by a microfluidic T-junction

Computational investigations of the mixing performance inside liquid slugs generated by a microfluidic T-junction

Flow patterns of immiscible liquid-liquid flow in a rectangular microchannel with T-junction

Preparation of micro oil droplets in micro-channel by digital jetting

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