Droplets generation in Y-junctions and anti-Yjunctions microchannels are experimentally studied using a high speed digital microscopic system and numerical simulation.Geometric configuration of a microchannel,such as ...Droplets generation in Y-junctions and anti-Yjunctions microchannels are experimentally studied using a high speed digital microscopic system and numerical simulation.Geometric configuration of a microchannel,such as Y-angle(90°,135°,-90° and-135°),channel depth and other factors have been taken into consideration.It is found that droplets generated in anti-Y-junctions have a smaller size and a shorter generation cycle compared with those in Yjunctions under the same experimental conditions.Through observing the internal velocity field,the vortex appearing in continuous phase in anti-Y-junctions is one of the key factors for the difference of droplet size and generation cycle.It is found that droplet size is bigger and generation cycle is longer when the absolute angle value of the intersection between the continuous and the dispersed phases(i.e.,the angle between the main channel and the continuous phase or the dispersed phase channel) increases.The droplet's size is influenced by the Y-angle,which varies with the channel depth in Y-junctions.The Y-angle has a positive effect on the droplet generation cycle,but a smaller height-width ratio will enhance the impact of a continuous and dispersed phase's intersection angle on the droplet generation cycle in Y-junctions microchannels.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants 11072011 and 11002007)
文摘Droplets generation in Y-junctions and anti-Yjunctions microchannels are experimentally studied using a high speed digital microscopic system and numerical simulation.Geometric configuration of a microchannel,such as Y-angle(90°,135°,-90° and-135°),channel depth and other factors have been taken into consideration.It is found that droplets generated in anti-Y-junctions have a smaller size and a shorter generation cycle compared with those in Yjunctions under the same experimental conditions.Through observing the internal velocity field,the vortex appearing in continuous phase in anti-Y-junctions is one of the key factors for the difference of droplet size and generation cycle.It is found that droplet size is bigger and generation cycle is longer when the absolute angle value of the intersection between the continuous and the dispersed phases(i.e.,the angle between the main channel and the continuous phase or the dispersed phase channel) increases.The droplet's size is influenced by the Y-angle,which varies with the channel depth in Y-junctions.The Y-angle has a positive effect on the droplet generation cycle,but a smaller height-width ratio will enhance the impact of a continuous and dispersed phase's intersection angle on the droplet generation cycle in Y-junctions microchannels.