Title :
Analytical model of plug flow in microchannels
Author :
Che, Zhizhao ; Wong, Teck Neng ; Nguyen, Nam-Trung
Author_Institution :
Sch. of Mech. & Aerosp. Eng., Nanyang Technol. Univ., Singapore, Singapore
Abstract :
Plug flow in microchannels is of great importance in microfluidics as it offers many advantages over continuous-flow microfluidics for various applications of lab-on-a-chip platforms. By confining fluids in small plugs of nanoliter scale, recirculation is formed. To increases our understanding of the flow pattern within liquid plugs, an analytical model of liquid plugs moving in microchannels is presented in this paper. The flow field is obtained by solving partial differential equations with corresponding boundary conditions in the microchannel. The comparison with experimental results from micro particle image velocimetry shows reasonable agreement. The model presented in this paper can be used to predict the flow pattern within liquid plugs, and it is helpful for vortex pattern manipulation in various applications of droplet-based microfluidics.
Keywords :
drops; lab-on-a-chip; microchannel flow; partial differential equations; pattern formation; two-phase flow; vortices; confining fluid analysis; continuous microfluidics flow; droplet-based microfluidics analysis; flow pattern; lab-on-a-chip platform; liquid plug analytical model; microchannel boundary condition; microchannel flow; microparticle image velocimetry; partial differential equations; plug flow; vortex pattern; Analytical models; Fluids; Mathematical model; Microchannel; Microfluidics; Plugs; analytical model; droplet; flow field; microfluidics; plug; recirculation;
Conference_Titel :
Nano/Micro Engineered and Molecular Systems (NEMS), 2011 IEEE International Conference on
Conference_Location :
Kaohsiung
Print_ISBN :
978-1-61284-775-7
DOI :
10.1109/NEMS.2011.6017500
