Mixing of Two Miscible Liquids in T-Shaped Microdevices

Numerical simulations were performed to study the flow fields and mixing characteristics of liquid flows converging in a T-shaped micromixer, when the two inlet fluids are both water or water and ethanol. We showed that at smaller Reynolds number, Re < 100, mixing is controlled by transverse diff...

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Main Authors: G. Orsi, C. Galletti, E. Brunazzi, R. Mauri
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIDIC Servizi S.r.l. 2013-06-01
Series:Chemical Engineering Transactions
Online Access:https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/6640
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author G. Orsi
C. Galletti
E. Brunazzi
R. Mauri
author_facet G. Orsi
C. Galletti
E. Brunazzi
R. Mauri
author_sort G. Orsi
collection DOAJ
description Numerical simulations were performed to study the flow fields and mixing characteristics of liquid flows converging in a T-shaped micromixer, when the two inlet fluids are both water or water and ethanol. We showed that at smaller Reynolds number, Re < 100, mixing is controlled by transverse diffusion, and therefore by the residence times of each fluids. Accordingly, mixing ethanol and water is slightly easier than mixing water with water, due to the fact that, as ethanol is slightly more viscous than water and therefore it is slower, the residence time of water-ethanol mixtures is larger than that of the water-water case. On the other hand, at larger Reynolds number, mixing water and ethanol may take considerably longer, as the onset of engulfment is retarded and occurs at larger Reynolds number, namely increasing from Re ? 140 in the water-water case to Re ? 230 in the water-ethanol case. This is due to the fact that a water-ethanol mixture has a viscosity that is up to almost three times larger than that of water; therefore, at the confluence of the T-mixer, the water and the ethanol streams are separated by a quite viscous layer of a water-ethanol mixture, that hampers any vortex formation, thus retarding mixing.
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spelling doaj.art-a283fd0419fa476192527a485e550e032022-12-21T23:47:16ZengAIDIC Servizi S.r.l.Chemical Engineering Transactions2283-92162013-06-013210.3303/CET1332246Mixing of Two Miscible Liquids in T-Shaped MicrodevicesG. OrsiC. GallettiE. BrunazziR. MauriNumerical simulations were performed to study the flow fields and mixing characteristics of liquid flows converging in a T-shaped micromixer, when the two inlet fluids are both water or water and ethanol. We showed that at smaller Reynolds number, Re < 100, mixing is controlled by transverse diffusion, and therefore by the residence times of each fluids. Accordingly, mixing ethanol and water is slightly easier than mixing water with water, due to the fact that, as ethanol is slightly more viscous than water and therefore it is slower, the residence time of water-ethanol mixtures is larger than that of the water-water case. On the other hand, at larger Reynolds number, mixing water and ethanol may take considerably longer, as the onset of engulfment is retarded and occurs at larger Reynolds number, namely increasing from Re ? 140 in the water-water case to Re ? 230 in the water-ethanol case. This is due to the fact that a water-ethanol mixture has a viscosity that is up to almost three times larger than that of water; therefore, at the confluence of the T-mixer, the water and the ethanol streams are separated by a quite viscous layer of a water-ethanol mixture, that hampers any vortex formation, thus retarding mixing.https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/6640
spellingShingle G. Orsi
C. Galletti
E. Brunazzi
R. Mauri
Mixing of Two Miscible Liquids in T-Shaped Microdevices
Chemical Engineering Transactions
title Mixing of Two Miscible Liquids in T-Shaped Microdevices
title_full Mixing of Two Miscible Liquids in T-Shaped Microdevices
title_fullStr Mixing of Two Miscible Liquids in T-Shaped Microdevices
title_full_unstemmed Mixing of Two Miscible Liquids in T-Shaped Microdevices
title_short Mixing of Two Miscible Liquids in T-Shaped Microdevices
title_sort mixing of two miscible liquids in t shaped microdevices
url https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/6640
work_keys_str_mv AT gorsi mixingoftwomiscibleliquidsintshapedmicrodevices
AT cgalletti mixingoftwomiscibleliquidsintshapedmicrodevices
AT ebrunazzi mixingoftwomiscibleliquidsintshapedmicrodevices
AT rmauri mixingoftwomiscibleliquidsintshapedmicrodevices