Numerical simulation of emulsion droplet formation in cross-junction microfluidic channels

doi:10.16085/j.issn.1000-6613.2017-1568

Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress ›› 2017, Vol. 36 ›› Issue (S1): 43-50.DOI: 10.16085/j.issn.1000-6613.2017-1568

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Numerical simulation of emulsion droplet formation in cross-junction microfluidic channels

DING Yiwen¹, LIU Xiangdong², ZHANG Chengbin¹

1. School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, Jiangsu, China;
2. School of Hydraulic, Energy and Power Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, Jiangsu, China

Received:2017-07-28 Revised:2017-08-01 Online:2017-12-13 Published:2017-12-31

十字型微通道中乳液流变行为的数值模拟

丁奕文¹, 刘向东², 张程宾¹

1. 东南大学能源与环境学院, 江苏南京 210096;
2. 扬州大学水利与能源动力工程学院, 江苏扬州 225127

通讯作者: 张程宾,博士,副教授,主要从事微尺度传热传质研究。
作者简介:丁奕文(1993-),男,硕士研究生。
基金资助:
国家自然科学基金（51406175）及江苏省自然科学基金（BK20140488、BK20170082）项目。

Abstract

Abstract: Monodispersed emulsions are widely used in biomedical,chemistry and so on.Microfluidic devices with cross-junction can produce monodispersed,homogeneous and spherical emulsions,which greatly simplifies the production process of emulsion and has important application value in the preparation of high quality emulsions.Numerical simulations of drop formation process in a cross-junction system are performed based on VOF method and detailed hydrodynamic information involved is provided.There are four flow regimes between two immiscible fluids in the cross-junction:squeezing,dripping,jetting and co-flowing.By analyzing the formation mechanism and evolution process,it is found that the interfacial tension and viscous force play a leading role in the droplet formation process.In addition,the influence of the cross-junction angle on the size of the drops and the flow regimes is studied.The results show that the length of the drops is influenced by the angle significantly.However,the angel of the cross-junction has little influence on the flow regime.

Key words: microchannels, emulsions, VOF, two-phase flow

摘要： 单分散的高品质乳液在生物医学、化学化工等领域有着广泛的应用，利用十字型微通道所制备的乳液单分散性好、均一度高、球形度好，并且该方法可以大大简化了乳液的制备过程，在高品质乳液的制备中具有重要的应用价值。基于VOF相界面追踪方法，建立了十字型微通道中乳液形成过程的非稳态理论模型，对十字型微通道中乳液的形成过程进行了数值模拟研究，发现了4种典型的流型，即挤压流（squeezing）、滴式流（dripping）、喷式流（jetting）和协流（co-flowing），并对其形成机理和演化过程进行了分析，发现界面张力和黏性力在液滴生成过程中起到主导作用。此外，还研究了通道角度对液滴尺寸和流型的影响，计算表明，在挤压流中液滴的长度会受到显著的影响。但是，通道的角度对流型的影响并不明显。

关键词: 微通道, 乳液, 可变频率振荡器, 两相流

CLC Number:

TQ02

DING Yiwen, LIU Xiangdong, ZHANG Chengbin. Numerical simulation of emulsion droplet formation in cross-junction microfluidic channels[J]. Chemical Industry and Engineering Progress, 2017, 36(S1): 43-50.

丁奕文, 刘向东, 张程宾. 十字型微通道中乳液流变行为的数值模拟[J]. 化工进展, 2017, 36(S1): 43-50.

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Numerical simulation of emulsion droplet formation in cross-junction microfluidic channels

十字型微通道中乳液流变行为的数值模拟

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