A new non-dimensional parameter to obtain the minimum mixing length in tree-like concentration gradient generators

No Thumbnail Available
File version
Author(s)
Rismanian, Milad
Saidi, Mohammad Said
Kashaninejad, Navid
Griffith University Author(s)
Primary Supervisor
Other Supervisors
Editor(s)
Date
2019
Size
File type(s)
Location
License
Abstract

Microfluidic-based concentration gradient generators (CGGs) have a number of applications in chemical, biological and pharmaceutical studies. Thus, precise design of the microfluidic system is crucial to maintaining the desired concentration gradient in microchannels. One of the design considerations is the length of microchannels in the structure of a CGG. A CGG with a short length fails to provide the complete diffusive mixing, while the size of the microchip would unfavorably increase by incorporating a long CGG. Considering a CGG as a tree-like structure consisting of T-shaped micromixers, the mixing process of the species at a straight microchannel has been solved analytically. Herein, we define a new non-dimensional parameter (ψ) as the ratio of the minimum length of the microchannel required for the desired fluid mixing to the product of the channel width and Peclet number. The numerically obtained values of ψ (i.e., 0.22 and 0.17 for 95% mixing in straight and serpentine micromixers, respectively) are in good agreement with the experimental results. The numerical simulation also shows that the value of ψ is the same for all micromixers in a CGG with the similar microchannel structure (e.g., straight or serpentine) and is independent of the channel size (width-to-depth ratio) and fluid velocity. Therefore, ψ can be computed only once for any micromixer with different structures (e.g., zigzag, square wave, and so forth) and then considering this constant value of ψ the minimum required length of all other micromixers in a CGG with similar repetitive structures and dimensions at the specified flow rates could be designed quickly and precisely.

Journal Title

Chemical Engineering Science

Conference Title
Book Title
Edition
Volume

195

Issue
Thesis Type
Degree Program
School
Publisher link
Patent number
Funder(s)
Grant identifier(s)
Rights Statement
Rights Statement
Item Access Status
Note
Access the data
Related item(s)
Subject

Chemical engineering

Mechanical engineering

Resources engineering and extractive metallurgy

Science & Technology

Engineering

Concentration gradient generator

Persistent link to this record
Citation

Rismanian, M; Saidi, MS; Kashaninejad, N, A new non-dimensional parameter to obtain the minimum mixing length in tree-like concentration gradient generators, Chemical Engineering Science, 2019, 195, pp. 120-126

Collections