LIQUID FLOW IN A RECTANGULAR MICROCHANNEL WITH OBSTRUCTIONS

摘要

Time-dependent liquid flow and thermal characteristics in a three-dimensional rectangular microchannel with obstructions were numerically investigated using a computational fluid dynamics code. Trapezoidal obstructions in microchannel were considered. The Joule heating due to the applied electric potential at the microchannel inlet and outlet, and the electroosmosis were taken into account. The dynamic viscosity, the thermal conductivity and the dielectric constant of the liquid were temperature-dependent. Using Helmholtz-Smoluchowski electroosmotic velocity as a boundary condition, the liquid velocity distribution and the temperature field were found solving the Navier-Stokes and energy equations, respectively. The results obtained demonstrate the impact that the obstructions have on liquid flow and thermal behaviors in a rectangular microchannel.