S0520202 Effect of combination of two fluids on mixing with unstable flow of polymer solution in microchannels

Le résumé fourni par la source

In this study, we have investigated the mixing properties in microchannels utilizing unstable flows generated with polymer solutions. Microchannels with abrupt contraction-expansion parts consisted of asymmetric rectangular block gates were tested and mixing procedure in it was visualized with combination of dyed and undyed solutions. Dilute aqueous solutions of polyethylene oxide (PEO) were employed to generate unstable vortexes at the contraction flow parts. The degree of mixing (DM) was estimated from image processing of pictures taken. The DM obtained from combination of PEO-PEO solutions with a same polymer concentration was compared with that obtained from water-PEO solution mixing, where the PEO solution had twice the concentration as PEO-PEO system. Although the maximum DM was obtained at relatively low Reynolds number region in the cases of water-PEO systems, the mixings with PEO-PEO solutions have showed gradually increase in DM with Reynolds number. It is considered that difference in generation and instability of vortexes before the block gates depending on the combinations of the solutions affected to the mixing properties.

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