Open Access
ARTICLE
Numerical Simulation of Droplet Generation in Coaxial Microchannels
Zongjun Yin*, Rong Su, Hui Xu
School of Mechanical Engineering, Anhui Institute of Information Technology, Wuhu, 241100, China
* Corresponding Author: Zongjun Yin. Email:
Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2024, 20(3), 487-504. https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2023.042631
Received 06 June 2023; Accepted 05 September 2023; Issue published 12 January 2024
Abstract
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.
Graphical Abstract
Keywords
Cite This Article
APA Style
Yin, Z., Su, R., Xu, H. (2024). Numerical simulation of droplet generation in coaxial microchannels. Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing, 20(3), 487-504. https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2023.042631
Vancouver Style
Yin Z, Su R, Xu H. Numerical simulation of droplet generation in coaxial microchannels. Fluid Dyn Materials Process . 2024;20(3):487-504 https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2023.042631
IEEE Style
Z. Yin, R. Su, and H. Xu "Numerical Simulation of Droplet Generation in Coaxial Microchannels," Fluid Dyn. Materials Process. , vol. 20, no. 3, pp. 487-504. 2024. https://doi.org/10.32604/fdmp.2023.042631