Fluid Mixing Control Inside a Y-shaped Microchannel by Using Electrokinetic Instability

A parametric study was conducted to improve our understanding pertaining to the fundamental physics of electrokinetic instability (EKI) and to explore the effectiveness of manipulating EKI waves to control/enhance fluid mixing inside a Y-shaped microchannel. The dependence of the critical strength o...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hui HU, Zheyan JIN, Abdulilah DAWOUD, Ryszard JANKOWIAK
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers 2008-05-01
Series:Journal of Fluid Science and Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jfst/3/2/3_2_260/_pdf/-char/en
_version_ 1819364474374586368
author Hui HU
Zheyan JIN
Abdulilah DAWOUD
Ryszard JANKOWIAK
author_facet Hui HU
Zheyan JIN
Abdulilah DAWOUD
Ryszard JANKOWIAK
author_sort Hui HU
collection DOAJ
description A parametric study was conducted to improve our understanding pertaining to the fundamental physics of electrokinetic instability (EKI) and to explore the effectiveness of manipulating EKI waves to control/enhance fluid mixing inside a Y-shaped microchannel. The dependence of the critical strength of the applied static electric field to trigger the EKI waves on the conductivity ratio of the two mixing streams inside the Y-shaped microchannel was quantified at first. The effects of the applied electric field strength on the evolution of the EKI waves and the resultant fluid mixing were assessed in terms of scalar concentration distributions, shedding frequency of the EKI waves and fluid mixing efficiency. The effectiveness of manipulating the EKI waves by adding alternative perturbations to the applied static electric fields were also explored for the further enhancement of the fluid mixing inside the Y-shaped microchannel. The measurement results revealed that the relationship between the critical strength of the applied static electric field and the conductivity ratio of the two mixing streams in the Y-shaped microchannel can be represented well by a power function with the power index about -0.246. The fluid mixing efficiency was found to increase monotonically with the increasing strength of the applied electric field. The fluid mixing process was found to be further enhanced by adding alternative perturbations to the applied static electric fields with the mixing process being most enhanced when the frequency of the alternative perturbation is close to the natural shedding frequency of the EKI waves. The fluid mixing efficiency was found to increase rapidly as the amplitude of the alternative perturbation increases.
first_indexed 2024-12-24T22:59:31Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f87ae900feec4bccbf8377857eb8b384
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1880-5558
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-24T22:59:31Z
publishDate 2008-05-01
publisher The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
record_format Article
series Journal of Fluid Science and Technology
spelling doaj.art-f87ae900feec4bccbf8377857eb8b3842022-12-21T16:35:10ZengThe Japan Society of Mechanical EngineersJournal of Fluid Science and Technology1880-55582008-05-013226027310.1299/jfst.3.260jfstFluid Mixing Control Inside a Y-shaped Microchannel by Using Electrokinetic InstabilityHui HU0Zheyan JIN1Abdulilah DAWOUD2Ryszard JANKOWIAK3Department of Aerospace Engineering, Iowa State UniversityDepartment of Aerospace Engineering, Iowa State UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Terry C. Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research Kansas State UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Terry C. Johnson Center for Basic Cancer Research Kansas State UniversityA parametric study was conducted to improve our understanding pertaining to the fundamental physics of electrokinetic instability (EKI) and to explore the effectiveness of manipulating EKI waves to control/enhance fluid mixing inside a Y-shaped microchannel. The dependence of the critical strength of the applied static electric field to trigger the EKI waves on the conductivity ratio of the two mixing streams inside the Y-shaped microchannel was quantified at first. The effects of the applied electric field strength on the evolution of the EKI waves and the resultant fluid mixing were assessed in terms of scalar concentration distributions, shedding frequency of the EKI waves and fluid mixing efficiency. The effectiveness of manipulating the EKI waves by adding alternative perturbations to the applied static electric fields were also explored for the further enhancement of the fluid mixing inside the Y-shaped microchannel. The measurement results revealed that the relationship between the critical strength of the applied static electric field and the conductivity ratio of the two mixing streams in the Y-shaped microchannel can be represented well by a power function with the power index about -0.246. The fluid mixing efficiency was found to increase monotonically with the increasing strength of the applied electric field. The fluid mixing process was found to be further enhanced by adding alternative perturbations to the applied static electric fields with the mixing process being most enhanced when the frequency of the alternative perturbation is close to the natural shedding frequency of the EKI waves. The fluid mixing efficiency was found to increase rapidly as the amplitude of the alternative perturbation increases.https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jfst/3/2/3_2_260/_pdf/-char/enelectrokinetic instabilityactive mixing control in microchannelseki micro-mixerepi-fluorescence imagingmicrofluidics
spellingShingle Hui HU
Zheyan JIN
Abdulilah DAWOUD
Ryszard JANKOWIAK
Fluid Mixing Control Inside a Y-shaped Microchannel by Using Electrokinetic Instability
Journal of Fluid Science and Technology
electrokinetic instability
active mixing control in microchannels
eki micro-mixer
epi-fluorescence imaging
microfluidics
title Fluid Mixing Control Inside a Y-shaped Microchannel by Using Electrokinetic Instability
title_full Fluid Mixing Control Inside a Y-shaped Microchannel by Using Electrokinetic Instability
title_fullStr Fluid Mixing Control Inside a Y-shaped Microchannel by Using Electrokinetic Instability
title_full_unstemmed Fluid Mixing Control Inside a Y-shaped Microchannel by Using Electrokinetic Instability
title_short Fluid Mixing Control Inside a Y-shaped Microchannel by Using Electrokinetic Instability
title_sort fluid mixing control inside a y shaped microchannel by using electrokinetic instability
topic electrokinetic instability
active mixing control in microchannels
eki micro-mixer
epi-fluorescence imaging
microfluidics
url https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jfst/3/2/3_2_260/_pdf/-char/en
work_keys_str_mv AT huihu fluidmixingcontrolinsideayshapedmicrochannelbyusingelectrokineticinstability
AT zheyanjin fluidmixingcontrolinsideayshapedmicrochannelbyusingelectrokineticinstability
AT abdulilahdawoud fluidmixingcontrolinsideayshapedmicrochannelbyusingelectrokineticinstability
AT ryszardjankowiak fluidmixingcontrolinsideayshapedmicrochannelbyusingelectrokineticinstability