Numerical Analysis of Fluid Mixing in Three Split and Recombine Micromixers at Different Inlets Flow Rate Ratio
Annotatsiya
Numerical simulation were carried out to study the mixing of miscible liquid at different inlets flow rate ratio (1 to 3) within two existing Chain mixer, Tear-drop mixer and one new mixer. The mixing performances of these three split and recombine (SAR) micromixers were predicted by a preliminary numerical analysis of the flow patterns inside the channel in terms of the segregation or distribution of path lines. Afterward, the efficiency and the pressure drop were investigated numerically, taking into account species transport. All numerical calculations were computed at a wide range of Reynolds number from 1 to 100. Among the presented three micromixers, the Tear-drop provides fairly good efficiency except in the middle range of Re numbers but has high-pressure drop. In addition, inlets flow rate ratio has a significant influence on efficiency; especially at the Re number range of 10 to 50. The Chain mixer presents relatively low mixing efficiency at low and middle range of Re numbers (5≤Re≤50) but has reasonable pressure drop. Furthermore, the Chain mixer shows almost no dependence on inlets flow rate ratio. Whereas, the C-H mixer poses excellent mixing efficiency (more than 93%) for all range of Re numbers and on top of that efficiency has slight dependency on inlets flow rate ratio. In addition, the C-H mixer shows respectively about three and two times lower pressure drop than the Tear-drop and the Chain mixers.