中国物理B ›› 2019, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (10): 104702-104702.doi: 10.1088/1674-1056/ab3f27

• ELECTROMAGNETISM, OPTICS, ACOUSTICS, HEAT TRANSFER, CLASSICAL MECHANICS, AND FLUID DYNAMICS • 上一篇    下一篇

Numerical simulation on dynamic behaviors of bubbles flowing through bifurcate T-junction in microfluidic device

Liang-Yu Wu(吴梁玉), Ling-Bo Liu(刘凌波), Xiao-Tian Han(韩笑天), Qian-Wen Li(李倩文), Wei-Bo Yang(杨卫波)   

  1. 1 School of Hydraulic, Energy, and Power Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China;
    2 Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
  • 收稿日期:2019-05-10 修回日期:2019-08-02 出版日期:2019-10-05 发布日期:2019-10-05
  • 通讯作者: Wei-Bo Yang E-mail:wbyang@yzu.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51706194 and 51876184).

Numerical simulation on dynamic behaviors of bubbles flowing through bifurcate T-junction in microfluidic device

Liang-Yu Wu(吴梁玉)1, Ling-Bo Liu(刘凌波)1, Xiao-Tian Han(韩笑天)1, Qian-Wen Li(李倩文)2, Wei-Bo Yang(杨卫波)1   

  1. 1 School of Hydraulic, Energy, and Power Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China;
    2 Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
  • Received:2019-05-10 Revised:2019-08-02 Online:2019-10-05 Published:2019-10-05
  • Contact: Wei-Bo Yang E-mail:wbyang@yzu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51706194 and 51876184).

摘要: Based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method, a numerical model of bubbles splitting in a microfluidic device with T-junction is developed and solved numerically. Various flow patterns are distinguished and the effects of bubble length, capillary number, and diameter ratio between the mother channel and branch are discussed. The break-up mechanism is explored in particular. The results indicate that the behaviors of the bubbles can be classified into two categories:break-up and non-break. Under the condition of slug flowing, the branches are obstructed by the bubbles that the pressure difference drives the bubbles into break-up state, while the bubbles that retain non-break state flow into an arbitrary branch under bubbling flow condition. The break-up of the short bubbles only occurs when the viscous force from the continuous phase overcomes the interfacial tension. The behavior of the bubbles transits from non-break to break-up with the increase of capillary number. In addition, the increasing of the diameter ratio is beneficial to the symmetrical break-up of the bubbles.

关键词: microfluidic, T-junction, bubble break-up, numerical simulation

Abstract: Based on the volume of fluid (VOF) method, a numerical model of bubbles splitting in a microfluidic device with T-junction is developed and solved numerically. Various flow patterns are distinguished and the effects of bubble length, capillary number, and diameter ratio between the mother channel and branch are discussed. The break-up mechanism is explored in particular. The results indicate that the behaviors of the bubbles can be classified into two categories:break-up and non-break. Under the condition of slug flowing, the branches are obstructed by the bubbles that the pressure difference drives the bubbles into break-up state, while the bubbles that retain non-break state flow into an arbitrary branch under bubbling flow condition. The break-up of the short bubbles only occurs when the viscous force from the continuous phase overcomes the interfacial tension. The behavior of the bubbles transits from non-break to break-up with the increase of capillary number. In addition, the increasing of the diameter ratio is beneficial to the symmetrical break-up of the bubbles.

Key words: microfluidic, T-junction, bubble break-up, numerical simulation

中图分类号:  (Drops and bubbles)

  • 47.55.D-
47.55.dr (Interactions with surfaces) 68.03.Cd (Surface tension and related phenomena)