Md Readul Mahmud

Abstract:

A new micromixer named ‘(Y-U)_H’ is proposed based on the split and recombine (SAR) principle. Five different (Y-U)_H mixers are constructed with varying vertical cylindrical connector height H. The optimization is carried out by changing the height H from 0 mm to 0.8 mm at varying Reynolds numbers ranging from 1 to 100 using numerical simulation software Ansys 15. The numerical setup is validated by comparing the numerical data with the experimental results of a well-known SAR ‘H’ mixer. Proposed (Y-U)_H mixers have superior mixing performance than the H mixer irrespective of Reynolds numbers. Furthermore, the (Y-U)_H mixers show excellent efficiency (η>90%) at low Reynolds numbers (Re ≤1). However, efficiency declines with the incline of Reynolds numbers due to the absence of secondary flow, and efficiency is about 64% for Reynolds numbers ranging from 10 to 100. Mixing efficiency also depends on the vertical cylindrical connector height (H); both efficiency and pressure drop increase with the increase of vertical cylindrical height. The (Y-U)_{0.8 mm} (H = 0.8 mm) mixer shows the highest maximum efficiency (74%) compared to all examined mixers.

Keywords: CFD, Microfluidic, Micromixer, SAR.

Date Published: January 16, 2024
DOI: 10.11159/jffhmt.2024.001

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