Influence of Cross-sectional Geometry on Mixing in a T-shaped Micro-junction
Microfluidics is gaining increasing interest in the field of chemical engineering, as miniaturization may lead to a significant intensification of chemical processes. Since the flow is laminar, achieving a good mixing of reactants is one of the main challenges. The simplest geometry is constituted b...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AIDIC Servizi S.r.l.
2019-05-01
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| Series: | Chemical Engineering Transactions |
| Online Access: | https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/9925 |
| _version_ | 1818965875238109184 |
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| author | Alessandro Mariotti Michele Lanzetta Gino Dini Andrea Rossi Elisabetta Brunazzi Roberto Mauri Chiara Galletti |
| author_facet | Alessandro Mariotti Michele Lanzetta Gino Dini Andrea Rossi Elisabetta Brunazzi Roberto Mauri Chiara Galletti |
| author_sort | Alessandro Mariotti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microfluidics is gaining increasing interest in the field of chemical engineering, as miniaturization may lead to a significant intensification of chemical processes. Since the flow is laminar, achieving a good mixing of reactants is one of the main challenges. The simplest geometry is constituted by a T-shaped mixer in which the two inlets join perpendicularly the mixing channel. The inlet cross section is usually square while the mixing channel cross-section is a rectangle as straight walls facilitate experimental and modelling analysis. The present work, on the contrary, is aimed at investigating through Computational Fluid Dynamics the effect of a cross-section with lateral inclined walls, to emulate a microfabrication technology based on laser machining. The presence of inclined walls is found to hamper mixing at high Reynolds numbers as the flow is unable to break the mirror symmetry and thus to undergo the engulfment regime. However, at low Reynold numbers the mixing is improved because the vortex regime presents a lower degree of symmetry with respect to that of T-mixers with straight walls. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T13:23:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9635e8542fa74fe2bcb774a55267f48f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2283-9216 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T13:23:57Z |
| publishDate | 2019-05-01 |
| publisher | AIDIC Servizi S.r.l. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Chemical Engineering Transactions |
| spelling | doaj.art-9635e8542fa74fe2bcb774a55267f48f2022-12-21T19:39:19ZengAIDIC Servizi S.r.l.Chemical Engineering Transactions2283-92162019-05-017410.3303/CET1974160Influence of Cross-sectional Geometry on Mixing in a T-shaped Micro-junctionAlessandro MariottiMichele LanzettaGino DiniAndrea RossiElisabetta BrunazziRoberto MauriChiara GallettiMicrofluidics is gaining increasing interest in the field of chemical engineering, as miniaturization may lead to a significant intensification of chemical processes. Since the flow is laminar, achieving a good mixing of reactants is one of the main challenges. The simplest geometry is constituted by a T-shaped mixer in which the two inlets join perpendicularly the mixing channel. The inlet cross section is usually square while the mixing channel cross-section is a rectangle as straight walls facilitate experimental and modelling analysis. The present work, on the contrary, is aimed at investigating through Computational Fluid Dynamics the effect of a cross-section with lateral inclined walls, to emulate a microfabrication technology based on laser machining. The presence of inclined walls is found to hamper mixing at high Reynolds numbers as the flow is unable to break the mirror symmetry and thus to undergo the engulfment regime. However, at low Reynold numbers the mixing is improved because the vortex regime presents a lower degree of symmetry with respect to that of T-mixers with straight walls.https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/9925 |
| spellingShingle | Alessandro Mariotti Michele Lanzetta Gino Dini Andrea Rossi Elisabetta Brunazzi Roberto Mauri Chiara Galletti Influence of Cross-sectional Geometry on Mixing in a T-shaped Micro-junction Chemical Engineering Transactions |
| title | Influence of Cross-sectional Geometry on Mixing in a T-shaped Micro-junction |
| title_full | Influence of Cross-sectional Geometry on Mixing in a T-shaped Micro-junction |
| title_fullStr | Influence of Cross-sectional Geometry on Mixing in a T-shaped Micro-junction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Influence of Cross-sectional Geometry on Mixing in a T-shaped Micro-junction |
| title_short | Influence of Cross-sectional Geometry on Mixing in a T-shaped Micro-junction |
| title_sort | influence of cross sectional geometry on mixing in a t shaped micro junction |
| url | https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/9925 |
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