Numerical Study of Fluid Mixing in a Microchannel with a Circular Chamber on a Rotating Disk

Abstract:

This paper reports numerical simulations of fluid mixing in a rotating microchannel with a microchamber fabricated on a CD-like substrate. The sample fluids are driven by the centrifugal force and brought in contact at a Y-shaped junction, and then the mixing flow moves through a straight channel with a circular chamber where the main course of mixing takes place. The CD-like micromixer is rotated clockwise at speeds ranging from 300 to1200 rpm. With increasing rotational speed, the mixing efficiency is found dropping in the lower range (≤ 540 rpm), where the diffusion still dominates the mixing, and then grows progressively to reach as much as 90%. The progressively growth in the higher speed range significantly improves the slightly descending and flat distribution for a straight mixing channel without a circular chamber. This significant enhancement of mixing is due mainly to the vortices generated in the circular chamber and the strong transverse flow induced by the Coriolis force.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 542-543)
• Pages: 1113-1119
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.542-543.1113
• Online since: June 2012
• Authors: Huan Chao Chiu, Jerry M Chen
• Keywords: Centrifuge-Driven, Coriolis Force, Micromixer, Mixing Efficiency

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