NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS AND EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS OF TWO-PHASE FLOWS IN A Y-Y-SHAPED MICROREACTOR

摘要

In this study a two-phase flow in a rectangular microchannel was investigated. The investigation consists of modeling, simulations as well as experimental analysis of liquid-liquid flows. After the production process is briefly shown, a model describing a general two-phase flow will be presented (without mass transfer). Firstly, a straight-line microchannel was examined that is 300 μm in height and depth and 4 cm in length. The volumetric flow rates in the experiments varied between 0.4-2.4 ml/min. Flow pattern were identified by examining high speed video images. For the simulations the fluids were assumed to be immiscible, incompressible and Newtonian. As mass conservation is very important to capture the interface, a Volume of Fluid method (VOF) is used. Simulations of the different hydrodynamic characteristics in a microchannel as well as validation by comparing flow regimes will be discussed in detail.