Comparative Analysis of Passive Micromixers at a Wide Range of Reynolds Numbers

Autor: Vladimir Viktorov, Md Readul Mahmud, Carmen Visconte
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2015
Předmět:
Zdroj: Micromachines, Vol 6, Iss 8, Pp 1166-1179 (2015)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2072-666X
DOI: 10.3390/mi6081166
Popis: Two novel passive micromixers, denoted as the Y-Y mixer and the H-C mixer, based on split-and-recombine (SAR) principle are studied both experimentally and numerically over Reynolds numbers ranging from 1 to 100. An image analysis technique was used to evaluate mixture homogeneity at four target areas. Numerical simulations were found to be a useful support for the design phase, since a general idea of mixing of fluids can be inferred from the segregation or the distribution of path lines. Comparison with a well-known mixer, the Tear-drop one, was also performed. Over the examined range of Reynolds numbers 1 ≤ Re ≤ 100, the Y-Y and H-C mixers showed at their exit an almost flat mixing index characteristic, with a mixing efficiency higher than 90%; conversely the Tear-drop mixer showed a relevant decrease of efficiency at mid-range. Furthermore, the Y-Y and the H-C showed significantly less pressure drop than the Tear-drop mixer.
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