Abstract

In this paper, three novel 3D micro T-mixers, namely, a micro T-mixer with swirl-inducing inlets (TMSI), a micro T-mixer with a rectangular constriction (TMRC), and a micro T-mixer with swirl-inducing inlets and a rectangular constriction (TMSC), were proposed on the basis of the original 3D micro T-mixer (OTM). The flow and mixing performance of these micromixers was numerically analyzed using COMSOL Multiphysics package at a range of Reynolds numbers from 10 to 70. Results show that the three proposed 3D micro T-mixers have achieved better mixing performance than OTM. Due to the coupling effect of two swirl-inducing inlets and a rectangular constriction, the maximum mixing index and pressure drop appeared in TMSC among the four micromixers especially; the mixing index of TMSC reaches 91.8% at Re = 70, indicating that TMSC can achieve effective mixing in a short channel length, but has a slightly higher pressure drop than TMSI and TMRC.

Highlights

  • In recent years, microfluidic systems have received great attention for their extensive applications involving sample preparation and analysis, flow chemistry, drug delivery, and chemical and biological analysis [1,2,3,4,5]

  • The low Reynolds number makes the flow in the micromixers laminar, and the mixing processes are dominated by molecular diffusion

  • This work proposed three novel 3D micro T-mixers with swirl-inducing inlet and rectangular constriction to enhance the mixing of two fluids

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Summary

Introduction

Microfluidic systems have received great attention for their extensive applications involving sample preparation and analysis, flow chemistry, drug delivery, and chemical and biological analysis [1,2,3,4,5]. Cortes-Quiroz et al [34] conducted further research on the effect of the aspect ratio of the mixing channel on the flow characteristics and mixing performance in the 3D T-mixer. The results indicated that the swirl flow was produced by the fluid coming from two inlet channels of the 3D T-junction, which could enhance mixing even at low Reynolds numbers. Compared to the typical T-mixer, this design can obtain a mixing improvement of more than twice due to that the obstacles in the inlet channels narrow and displace the fluid streams so they come into the T-junction at different vertical levels, intertwine and form a vortex flow in the mixing channel. IIssoommeettrriiccaannddtotoppvvieiwews sofotfhtehe3D3DT-Tsh-sahpaepdedmimcriocmroimxeixrse:r(sa:)(Oa)TOMT,M(b,)(TbM) TSMI, (ScI), T(cM) TRMC,R(Cd), (TdM) TSMC.SC

Governing Equations and Boundary Conditions
Mesh Independency
Validation
Flow Characteristics
Conclusions
Full Text
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