Influence of the Unit Y-Shaped Microchannel Geometry on the Capillary Flow

Fractal networks are widely applied in the field of heat and mass transfer. As one of the important parts of the fractal network, Y-shaped structure definitely has a significant impact on the performance of the whole network. In this paper, the analytical relationship between Y-shaped microchannel geometry and its capillary flow time is established through theoretical analysis with mass continuity equation and Navier-Stokes(N-S) equations.The result reveals that the capillary flow time increases with the increase of the topology length and bifurcation angle of the Y-shaped microchannel, but decreases with the increase of the channel width.

基于Y-shaped路网的早高峰拼车定价策略

针对交通资源配置有限导致的早高峰通勤拥堵问题,借鉴共享经济理论,引入拼车出行概念,充分考虑通勤者出行方式和Y-shaped路网特点,建立了基于通勤者出行效益的拼车定价模型.模型结合费用补偿机制,讨论了以平台利润最大化和系统负效用最小化为目标的拼车定价策略,并给出了定价策略有效的阈值条件.研究结果表明,当通勤者都参与到拼车服务中时,拼车平台利润和交通系统负效用在其相应拼车定价策略下均能达到最优值,并且以交通系统负效用最小化为目标的拼车定价策略能消除Y-shaped路网中瓶颈处的交通拥堵.

Molecular dynamics simulation of the flow mechanism of shear-thinning fluids in a microchannel

Shear-thinning fluids have been widely used in microfluidic systems,but their internal flow mechanism is still unclear.Therefore,in this paper,molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the laminar flow of shear-thinning fluid in a microchannel.We validated the feasibility of our simulation method by evaluating the mean square displacement and Reynolds number of the solution layers.The results show that the change rule of the fluid system's velocity profile and interaction energy can reflect the shear-thinning characteristics of the fluids.The velocity profile resembles a top-hat shape,intensifying as the fluid's power law index decreases.The interaction energy between the wall and the fluid decreases gradually with increasing velocity,and a high concentration of non-Newtonian fluid reaches a plateau sooner.Moreover,the velocity profile of the fluid is related to the molecule number density distribution and their values are inversely proportional.By analyzing the radial distribution function,we found that the hydrogen bonds between solute and water molecules weaken with the increase in velocity.This observation offers an explanation for the shear-thinning phenomenon of the non-Newtonian flow from a micro perspective.

Microchannel reactive distillation for the conversion of aqueous ethanol to ethylene

Here we demonstrate the proof-of-concept for microchannel reactive distillation for alcohol-to-jet application:combining ethanol/water separation and ethanol dehydration in one unit operation.Ethanol is first distilled into the vapor phase,converted to ethylene and water,and then the water co-product is condensed to shift the reaction equilibrium.Process intensification is achieved through rapid mass transfer-ethanol stripping from thin wicks using novel microchannel architectures-leading to lower residence time and improved separation efficiency.Energy savings are realized with integration of unit operations.For example,heat of condensing water can offset vaporizing ethanol.Furthermore,the dehydration reaction equilibrium shifts towards completion by immediate removal of the water byproduct upon formation while maintaining aqueous feedstock in the condensed phase.For aqueous ethanol feedstock(40%_w),71% ethanol conversion with 91% selectivity to ethylene was demonstrated at 220℃,600psig,and 0.28 h^(-1) wt hour space velocity.2.7 stages of separation were also demonstrated,under these conditions,using a device length of 8.3 cm.This provides a height equivalent of a theoretical plate(HETP),a measure of separation efficiency,of ^(3).3 cm.By comparison,conventional distillation packing provides an HETP of ^(3)0 cm.Thus,9,1 × reduction in HETP was demonstrated over conventional technology,providing a means for significant energy savings and an example of process intensification.Finally,preliminary process economic analysis indicates that by using microchannel reactive distillation technology,the operating and capital costs for the ethanol separation and dehydration portion of an envisioned alcoholto-jet process could be reduced by at least 35% and 55%,respectively,relative to the incumbent technology,provided future improvements to microchannel reactive distillation design and operability are made.

Overall Assessment of Heat Transfer for a Rarefied Flow in a Microchannel with Obstacles Using Lattice Boltzmann Method

The objective of this investigation is to assess the effect of obstacles on numerical heat transfer and fluid flow momentum in a rectangular microchannel(MC).Two distinct configurations were studied:one without obstacles and the other with alternating obstacles placed on the upper and lower walls.The research utilized the thermal lattice Boltzmann method(LBM),which solves the energy and momentum equations of fluids with the BGK approximation,implemented in a Python coding environment.Temperature jump and slip velocity conditions were utilized in the simulation for the MC and extended to all obstacle boundaries.The study aims to analyze the rarefaction effect,with Knudsen numbers(Kn)of 0.012,0.02,and 0.05.The outcomes indicate that rarefaction has a significant impact on the velocity and temperature distribution.The presence of nine obstacles led to slower fluid movement inside the microchannel MC,resulting in faster cooling at the outlet.In MCs with obstacles,the rarefaction effect plays a crucial role in decreasing the Nusselt number(Nu)and skin friction coefficient(Cf).Furthermore,the study demonstrated that the obstacles played a crucial role in boosting fluid flow and heat transfer in the MC.The findings suggest that the examined configurations could have potential applications as cooling technologies in micro-electro-mechanical systems and microdevice applications.

Effect of boundary slip on electroosmotic flow in a curved rectangular microchannel

The aim of this study is to numerically investigate the impact of boundary slip on electroosmotic flow(EOF) in curved rectangular microchannels. Navier slip boundary conditions were employed at the curved microchannel walls. The electric potential distribution was governed by the Poisson–Boltzmann equation, whereas the velocity distribution was determined by the Navier–Stokes equation. The finite-difference method was employed to solve these two equations. The detailed discussion focuses on the impact of the curvature ratio, electrokinetic width, aspect ratio and slip length on the velocity. The results indicate that the present problem is strongly dependent on these parameters. The results demonstrate that by varying the dimensionless slip length from 0.001 to 0.01 while maintaining a curvature ratio of 0.5 there is a twofold increase in the maximum velocity. Moreover, this increase becomes more pronounced at higher curvature ratios. In addition, the velocity difference between the inner and outer radial regions increases with increasing slip length. Therefore, the incorporation of the slip boundary condition results in an augmented velocity and a more non-uniform velocity distribution. The findings presented here offer valuable insights into the design and optimization of EOF performance in curved hydrophobic microchannels featuring rectangular cross-sections.

Numerical Simulation of Droplet Generation in Coaxial Microchannels

In this study,numerical simulations of the pinching-off phenomena displayed by the dispersed phase in a continuous phase have been conducted using COMSOL Multiphysics(level-set method).Four flow patterns,namely“drop flow”,“jet flow”,“squeeze flow”,and“co-flow”,have been obtained for different flow velocity ratios,channel diameter ratios,density ratios,viscosity ratios,and surface tension.The flow pattern map of two-phase flow in coaxial microchannels has been obtained accordingly,and the associated droplet generation process has been critically discussed considering the related frequency,diameter,and pinch-off length.In particular,it is shown that the larger the flow velocity ratio,the smaller the diameter of generated droplets and the shorter the pinch-off length.The pinch-off length of a droplet is influenced by the channel diameter ratio and density ratio.The changes in viscosity ratio have a negligible influence on the droplet generation pinching frequency.With an increase in surface tension,the frequency of generation and pinch-off length of droplets decrease,but for small surface tension the generation diameter of droplet increases.

Gas microchannel plate-pixel detector for X-ray polarimetry

POLAR-2 is a gamma-ray burst(GRB)polarimeter that is designed to study the polarization in GRB radiation emissions,aiming to improve our knowledge of related mechanisms.POLAR-2 is expected to utilize an on-board polarimeter that is sensitive to soft X-rays(2-10 keV),called low-energy polarization detector.We have developed a new soft X-ray polari-zation detector prototype based on gas microchannel plates(GMCPs)and pixel chips(Topmetal).The GMCPs have bulk resistance,which prevents charging-up effects and ensures gain stability during operation.The detector is composed of low outgassing materials and is gas-sealed using a laser welding technique,ensuring long-term stability.A modulation factor of 41.28%±0.64% is obtained for a 4.5 keV polarized X-ray beam.A residual modulation of 1.96%±0.58% at 5.9 keV is observed for the entire sensitive area.

Applying the Shearlet-Based Complexity Measure for Analyzing Mass Transfer in Continuous-Flow Microchannels

Continuous-flow microchannels are widely employed for synthesizing various materials,including nanoparticles,polymers,and metal-organic frameworks(MOFs),to name a few.Microsystem technology allows precise control over reaction parameters,resulting in purer,more uniform,and structurally stable products due to more effective mass transfer manipulation.However,continuous-flow synthesis processes may be accompanied by the emergence of spatial convective structures initiating convective flows.On the one hand,convection can accelerate reactions by intensifying mass transfer.On the other hand,it may lead to non-uniformity in the final product or defects,especially in MOF microcrystal synthesis.The ability to distinguish regions of convective and diffusive mass transfer may be the key to performing higher-quality reactions and obtaining purer products.In this study,we investigate,for the first time,the possibility of using the information complexity measure as a criterion for assessing the intensity of mass transfer in microchannels,considering both spatial and temporal non-uniformities of liquid’s distributions resulting from convection formation.We calculate the complexity using shearlet transform based on a local approach.In contrast to existing methods for calculating complexity,the shearlet transform based approach provides a more detailed representation of local heterogeneities.Our analysis involves experimental images illustrating the mixing process of two non-reactive liquids in a Y-type continuous-flow microchannel under conditions of double-diffusive convection formation.The obtained complexity fields characterize the mixing process and structure formation,revealing variations in mass transfer intensity along the microchannel.We compare the results with cases of liquid mixing via a pure diffusive mechanism.Upon analysis,it was revealed that the complexity measure exhibits sensitivity to variations in the type of mass transfer,establishing its feasibility as an indirect criterion for assessing mass transfer intensity.The method presented can extend beyond flow analysis,finding application in the controlling of microstructures of various materials(porosity,for instance)or surface defects in metals,optical systems and other materials that hold significant relevance in materials science and engineering.

A comprehensive review on microchannel heat sinks for electronics cooling

The heat generation of electronic devices is increasing dramatically,which causes a serious bottleneck in the thermal management of electronics,and overheating will result in performance deterioration and even device damage.With the development of micro-machining technologies,the microchannel heat sink(MCHS)has become one of the best ways to remove the considerable amount of heat generated by high-power electronics.It has the advantages of large specific surface area,small size,coolant saving and high heat transfer coefficient.This paper comprehensively takes an overview of the research progress in MCHSs and generalizes the hotspots and bottlenecks of this area.The heat transfer mechanisms and performances of different channel structures,coolants,channel materials and some other influencing factors are reviewed.Additionally,this paper classifies the heat transfer enhancement technology and reviews the related studies on both the single-phase and phase-change flow and heat transfer.The comprehensive review is expected to provide a theoretical reference and technical guidance for further research and application of MCHSs in the future.

Gastrotracheal fistula:Treatment with a covered self-expanding Y-shaped metallic stent

A 67-year-old man had a sev-ere cough and pulmonary infection for 1 wk before seeking evaluation at our hospital.He had undergone esophagectomy with gastric pull-up and radiotherapy for esophageal cancer 3 years previously.After admission to our hospital,gastroscopy and bronchoscopy revealed a fistulous communication between the posterior tracheal wallnear the carina and the upper residual stomach.We measured the diameter of the trachea and bronchus and determined the site and size of the fistula using multislice computed tomography and gastroscopy.A covered self-expanding Y-shaped metallic stent was implanted into the trachea and bronchus.Subsequently,the fistula was closed completely.The patient tolerated the stent well and had good palliation of his symptoms.

Y-shaped block copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) synthesized by ATRP

Novel Y-shaped block copolymers of poly（ethylene glycol） and poly（N-isopropylacrylamide）, PEG-b-（PNIPAM）2, were successfully synthesized through atom transfer radical polymerization （ATRP）. A difunctional macroinitiator was prepared by esterification of 2,2-dichloroacetyl chloride with poly（ethylene glycol） monomethyl ether （PEG）. The copolymers were obtained via the ATRP ofN-isopropylacrylamide （NIPAM） at 30℃ with CuCl/Me6TREN as a catalyst system and DMF/H2O （v/v = 3：1） mixture as solvent. The resulting copolymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography （GPC） and ^1H NMR. These block copolymers show controllable molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions （PDI 〈 1.15）. Their phase transition temperatures and the corresponding enthalpy changes in aqueous solution were measured by differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）. As a result, the phase transition temperature of PEG45-b-（PNIPAM55）2 is higher than that of PNIPAM, however, the corresponding enthalpy change is much lower, indicating the significant influence of the macromolecular composition and architecture on the phase transition.

Effects of channel wall wettability on gas-liquid dynamics mass transfer under Taylor flow in a serpentine microchannel

The wall wettability of microchannels plays an important role in the gas-liquid mass transfer dynamics under Taylor flow.In this study,we regulated the contact angle of the wall surface through surface chemical grafting polymerization under controlled experimental conditions.The dynamic changes of CO_(2)bubbles flowing along the microchannel were captured by a high-speed video camera mounted on a stereo microscope,whilst a unit cell model was employed to theoretically investigate the gas-liquid mass transfer dynamics.We quantitatively characterized the effects of wall wettability,specifically the contact angle,on the formation mechanism of gas bubbles and mass transfer process experimentally.The results revealed that the gas bubble velocity,the overall volumetric liquid phase mass transfer coefficients(kLa),and the specific interfacial area(a)all increased with the increase of the contact angle.Conversely,gas bubble length and leakage flow decreased.Furthermore,we proposed a new modified model to predict the gas-liquid two-phase mass transfer performance,based on van Baten’s and Yao’s models.Our proposed model was observed to agree reasonably well with experimental observations.

Deformation and defects in hydroforming of Y-shaped tubes

Hydroforming process of a Y-shaped stainless steel tube was investigated through numerical simulation and experiments. The forming process and reasons of typical defects were analyzed with three different loading paths. Thickness distribution of formed Y-shaped tube was obtained. It is shown by numerical and experimental results that the transition regions are depressed in the forming condition of low inner pressure and wrinkles occur, while fracture occurs in the forming condition of high inner pressure. After forming, the thickness in left transition fillet region is the largest, that in fight transition fillet region is thinner, and the thinnest thickness is at the top of the protrusion. The original thickness line is below the top of the protrusion. The thinning area occurs above this line, while the thickening area is below this line. The maximum thinning rate is significantly increased as the calibration pressure increases, while the maximum thickening rate remains almost unchanged.

Different efficiency toward the biomimetic aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol in microchannel and bubble column reactors: Hydrodynamic characteristics and gas–liquid mass transfer

The selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde has attracted considerable attention because benzaldehyde is a high value-added product. The rate of this typical gas–liquid reaction is significantly affected by mass transfer. In this study, CoTPP-mediated(CoTPP: cobalt(II) mesotetraphenylporphyrin) selective benzyl alcohol oxidation with oxygen was conducted in a membrane microchannel(MMC) reactor and a bubble column(BC) reactor, respectively. We observed that 83% benzyl alcohol was converted within 6.5 min in the MMC reactor, but only less than 10% benzyl alcohol was converted in the BC reactor. Hydrodynamic characteristics and gas–liquid mass transfer performances were compared for the MMC and BC reactors. The MMC reactor was assumed to be a plug flow reactor,and the dimensionless variance was 0.29. Compared to the BC reactor, the gas–liquid mass transfer was intensified significantly in MMC reactor. It could be ascribed to the high gas holdup(2.9 times higher than that of BC reactor), liquid film mass transfer coefficient(8.2 times higher than that of BC reactor), and mass transfer coefficient per unit interfacial area(3.8 times higher than that of BC reactor). Moreover,the Hatta number for the MMC reactor reached up to 0.61, which was about 15 times higher than that of the BC reactor. The computational fluid dynamics calculations for mass fractions in both liquid and gas phases were consistent with the experimental data.

Binary collision approximation for solitary waves in a Y-shaped granular chain

We implement a binary collision approximation to study solitary wave propagation in a two-dimensional double Y- shaped granular chain. The solitary wave was transmitted and reflected when it met the interface of the bifurcated branches of the Y-shaped granular chains. We obtain the analytic results of the ratios of the transmitted and reflected speeds to the incident speed of the solitary wave, the maximum force between the two neighbor beads in a solitary wave, and the total time taken by the pulse to pass through each branch. All of the analytic results are in good agreement with the experimental observations from Daraio et al. [Phys. Rev. E 82 036603 （2010）]. Moreover, we also discuss the delay effects on the arrival of split pulses, and predict the recombination of the split waves traveling in branches in the final stem of asymmetric systems. The prediction of pulse recombination is verified by our numerical results.

Evaluation of ultimate bearing capacity of Y-shaped vibro-pile

Based on Mindlin stress solution, a numerical computational method was proposed to calculate the stresses in the ground induced by side friction and the resistance of Y-shaped vibro-pile. The improved Terzaghi's and ЪерезанцевВГ's methods for ultimate bearing capacity evaluation were proposed by considering the stress strength induced by friction resistance at pile head level of Y-pile. A new method to calculate the ultimate bearing capacity of Y-pile was also proposed based on the assumptions of soil failure mode at the tip of Y-pile and the use of Mohr-Coulomb soil yield criterion and Vesic compressive correction coefficient with the induced stresses in the ground. Based on the comparisons with the field static load test results, it is found that the improved Terzaghi's method gives higher ultimate capacity, while the other two methods shows good agreement with the field results.

Transfer characteristics of dynamic biochemical signals in non-reversing pulsatile flows in a shallow Y-shaped microfluidic channel: signal filtering and nonlinear amplitude-frequency modulation

The transports of the dynamic biochemical signals in the non-reversing pulsatile flows in the mixing microchannel of a Y-shaped microfluidic device are ana- lyzed. The results show that the mixing micro-channel acts as a low-pass filter, and the biochemical signals are nonlinearly modulated by the pulsatile flows, which depend on the biochemical signal frequency, the flow signal frequency, and the biochemical signal transporting distance. It is concluded that, the transfer characteristics of the dynamic biochemical signals, which are transported in the time-varying flows, should be carefully considered for better loading biochemical signals on the cells cultured on the bottom of the microfluidic channel.

Y-Shaped Intra-Scleral Fixated Lens versus Retro-Pupillary Iris Claw Lens in the Treatment of Aphakia

Background: Many reasons can lead to an aphakia without adequate capsular support for implantation of a posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL), such as intraoperative unintentional rupture of posterior capsule during phacoemulsification, planned intracapsular cataract extraction, ocular trauma and lens dislocation due to congenital and acquired causes. Purpose: To compare Y-shaped intra-scleral fixation of a posterior chamber IOL with retro pupillary fixation of an iris-claw intraocular lens (IOL) for Aphakic eyes without sufficient capsular support as respects safety, visual recovery and complications of both methods. Patients and Methods: One hundred Aphakic eyes were arbitrarily distributed between two groups. Group A included 50 eyes treated with retropupillary fixation of iris claw lens and group B included 50 eyes treated with Y-shaped intra-scleral fixation technique. Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative data were analysed including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), surgical time, intraoperative problems, IOL malposition and postoperative complications. Following up on patients was carried out for at least six months. Results: The mean duration of surgery was 21 ± 5.3 min in group A and was 53.4 ± 6.9 min in group B (p-value 0.05). IOL tilt was found in 0 (0%) eyes in group A and in 5 (10%) eyes in group B (p 0.05). Conclusion: The results of our study indicated that both methods are satisfactory in correcting aphakia without sufficient capsular support as regards postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA);however the surgical technique of retropupillary iris claw lens is easier, shorter, with low intra- and postoperative complications and safer than those used for intra-scleral fixation of IOL. But for eyes which lack both iris and capsular support, a scleral fixation of a posterior chamber IOL remains the only option.

Comparison of lag screws and double Y-shaped miniplates in the fixation of anterior mandibular fractures

BACKGROUNDMandibular fractures constitute about 80.79% of maxillofacial injuries inAlexandria University, either as isolated mandibular fractures or as a part ofpanfacial fractures. The combination of symphyseal and parasymphyseal fracturesrepresent 47.09% of the total mandibular fractures.AIMTo compare the effectiveness of lag screws vs double Y-shaped miniplates in thefixation of anterior mandibular fractures.METHODSThis study is a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial, performed onsixteen patients with anterior mandibular fractures. Patients were divided equallyinto two groups, each consisting of eight patients. Group 1: Underwent openreduction and internal fixation using two lag screws. Group 2: Underwent openreduction and internal fixation using double Y-shaped plates. The followingparameters were assessed: operating time in minutes, pain using a visual analogscale, edema, surgical wound healing for signs and symptoms of infection,occlusion status and stability, maximal mouth opening, and sensory nervefunction. Cone beam computed tomography was performed at 3 and 6 mo tomeasure bone density and assess the progression of fracture healing.RESULTSThe study included 13 males (81.3%) and 3 females (18.8%) aged 26 to 45 years(mean age was 35.69 ± 6.01 years). The cause of trauma was road traffic accidentsin 10 patients (62.5%), interpersonal violence in 3 patients (18.8%) and othercauses in 3 patients (18.8%). The fractures comprised 10 parasymphyseal fractures(62.5%) and 6 symphyseal fractures (37.5%). The values of all parameters were comparable in both groups with no statistically significant difference except forthe mean bone density at 3 mo postoperatively which was 946.38 ± 66.29 in group 1 and 830.36 ± 95.53 in group 2 (P = 0.015).CONCLUSIONBoth lag screws and double Y-shaped miniplates provide favorable means offixation for mandibular fractures in the anterior region. Fractures fixed with lagscrews show greater mean bone density at 3 mo post-operation, indicative ofhigher primary stability and faster early bone healing. Further studies with largersample sizes are required to verify these conclusions.