Two-dimensional Simulation of Droplet Splitting in Multi-Furcating Microchannel

Biswas, Saikat; Pattader, Partho Sarathi Gooh; Mandal, Tapas Kumar

doi:10.1134/s0015462822050019

Cited by 1 publication

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“…According to their findings, the neck thinning rate (∆ wm /∆ t ) rises during the pinch‐off stage while decreasing during the squeezing stage and remaining flat during the transition period. Biswas et al [ 31 ] investigated the multiple splitting of droplets through a multi‐furcating microchannel consisting of five outlets using 2D simulation. The droplet length distribution and droplet frequency (counts per unit time) were determined in the branch channels with various angles (0°, ±40°, and ±90° branch channels).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Droplet splitting in multi‐furcating microchannel: A three‐dimensional numerical simulation study

2023

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This work investigates the splitting of a droplet in a multi‐furcating microfluidic channel for a two‐phase system employing 3D simulation. The simulations were performed using an explicit volume of fluid (VOF) method and have been validated using experimental data taken from the literature. The width ratio of the branch channel to the main channel is set to 0.25 for five branches of the multi‐furcating microchannel, as it is the width ratio at which multiple splitting takes place. Simulations have been carried out at different oil velocities (Vo) ranging from 0.12 to 0.22 m/s and at different water velocities (Vw) ranging from 0.002 to 0.10 m/s. Oil fraction data in the main channel has been recorded and compared with the homogenous model. The average difference between the homogeneous model and the 3D simulations is 22.68%. Analysis of dimensionless droplet length in ±0°, ± 40°, and 90° branch channels has been done. α (length of the droplet in branch channel/width of the main channel) increases up to a flow rate ratio of 0.38, and then decreases, whereas β (length of the droplet in the main channel/width of the main channel) increases with an increase in flow rate ratio. A flow pattern map has been developed to identify the various droplet breakup regimes at the junction. Frequency (counts per unit time) of droplet generation increases with capillary number for all the branch channels except for the 0° branch channel, where the regime is that the droplet passes through three branch channels. The volume distribution ratio (λ) decreases at first, then increases with an increase in capillary number for 0°:90° and 40°:90° angle branch channels for the regime where the droplet passes through five branch channels. For the regime where the droplet passes through three branch channels, the trend is likely linear with λ = 0.3 ± 0.04. The dimensionless mother droplet length increases with an increase in capillary number for Vo = 0.13 and 0.16 m/s, but for Vo = 0.19 and 0.22 m/s, the dimensionless mother droplet length becomes constant after capillary number = 0.26 and 0.30 respectively. The droplet breakup time (t) for regime (a), where the droplet passes through three branch channels, is 0.002 s; for regime (b), where the droplet passes through five branch channels, it is 0.001 s; and for regime (c), where multi‐furcation and coalescence of the droplet occurs, it is 0.0005 s. Multiple splitting is a topic covered in this paper that can be applied to upcoming microfluidic platform‐based devices.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%