Comparative Analysis of Passive Micromixers at a Wide Range of Reynolds Numbers

Vladimir Viktorov,Carmen Visconte,Md Mahmud

doi:10.3390/mi6081166

Vladimir Viktorov, Carmen Visconte + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/mi6081166

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Journal: Micromachines	Publication Date: Aug 18, 2015
Citations: 18	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Polytechnic University of Turin

Abstract

Two novel passive micromixers, denoted as the Y-Y mixer and the H-C mixer, based on split-and-recombine (SAR) principle are studied both experimentally and numerically over Reynolds numbers ranging from 1 to 100. An image analysis technique was used to evaluate mixture homogeneity at four target areas. Numerical simulations were found to be a useful support for the design phase, since a general idea of mixing of fluids can be inferred from the segregation or the distribution of path lines. Comparison with a well-known mixer, the Tear-drop one, was also performed. Over the examined range of Reynolds numbers 1 ≤ Re ≤ 100, the Y-Y and H-C mixers showed at their exit an almost flat mixing index characteristic, with a mixing efficiency higher than 90%; conversely the Tear-drop mixer showed a relevant decrease of efficiency at mid-range. Furthermore, the Y-Y and the H-C showed significantly less pressure drop than the Tear-drop mixer.

Highlights

Nowadays microfluidic devices for handling fluids are widespread and the potential application of micromixers is increasing every day in many scientific and industrial contexts
Microfluidic technology provides the possibility of replacing large conventional laboratory equipment, reducing costs, decreasing consumption, making the analysis faster and increasing safety and reliability [1]. These characteristics explain the exponential increase of research on micromixers in various fields
In absence of any transverse convection, complete mixing of two fluids conveyed in a simple channel, as in a T-mixer, normally needs a long time and long channel length [6]

Summary

Introduction

Nowadays microfluidic devices for handling fluids are widespread and the potential application of micromixers is increasing every day in many scientific and industrial contexts. Microfluidic technology provides the possibility of replacing large conventional laboratory equipment, reducing costs, decreasing consumption, making the analysis faster and increasing safety and reliability [1]. These characteristics explain the exponential increase of research on micromixers in various fields. The mixing of two or more different fluids depends on convection and diffusion. In absence of any transverse convection, complete mixing of two fluids conveyed in a simple channel, as in a T-mixer, normally needs a long time and long channel length [6]. The mechanisms of fluid parallel lamination, focusing, chaotic advection, intersecting channels, convergent-divergent channels, and split-and-recombine are used [15,16]

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