Mass transfer and hydrodynamic studies in a 100 μm diameter microfluidic channel in a rotated helical configuration

Abstract

A simple 3D rotated microfluidic mixer design is reported with evaluation of hydrodynamic and mass transfer performance. Proposed device had a minimalistic configuration of 3 turns, rotated in x, y, and z planes. The helical mixer volume was only 3.14 μL due to usage of 100 μm dia micro bore tubing. The proposed device was different from conventional CFI and its variants. The analysis for hydrodynamic performance indicated a massive specific interfacial area, much more than for the 50 mm centrifugal extractor with the same PUREX aqueous-organic pair. Higher volumetric amass transfer coefficients were reported for the proposed device as compared to conventional mixers (impellers and Taylor-Couette mixers). Energy dissipation values were also reported to be much higher than that of a contemporary annular centrifugal extractor. Mixing-time values (tm) were estimated at least two-order lower than residence time values (τ). Proposed design complied all the four directives of the concurrent PI paradigm.