Numerical simulation on dynamic behaviors of bubbles flowing through bifurcate T-junction in microfluidic device

作     者：Liang-Yu Wu Ling-Bo Liu Xiao-Tian Han Qian-Wen Li Wei-Bo Yang 吴梁玉;刘凌波;韩笑天;李倩文;杨卫波

作者机构：School of HydraulicEnergyand Power EngineeringYangzhou UniversityYangzhou 225127China Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of EducationSchool of Energy and EnvironmentSoutheast UniversityNanjing 210096China 

出 版 物：《Chinese Physics B》 (中国物理B（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2019年第28卷第10期

页      面：417-427页

核心收录：

学科分类：07[理学] 0702[理学-物理学] 

基　　金：Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.51706194 and 51876184) 

主　　题：microfluidic T-junction bubble break-up numerical simulation 

摘      要：Based on the volume of fluid(VOF) method, a numerical model of bubbles splitting in a microfluidic device with T-junction is developed and solved numerically. Various flow patterns are distinguished and the effects of bubble length,capillary number, and diameter ratio between the mother channel and branch are discussed. The break-up mechanism is explored in particular. The results indicate that the behaviors of the bubbles can be classified into two categories: break-up and non-break. Under the condition of slug flowing, the branches are obstructed by the bubbles that the pressure difference drives the bubbles into break-up state, while the bubbles that retain non-break state flow into an arbitrary branch under bubbling flow condition. The break-up of the short bubbles only occurs when the viscous force from the continuous phase overcomes the interfacial tension. The behavior of the bubbles transits from non-break to break-up with the increase of capillary number. In addition, the increasing of the diameter ratio is beneficial to the symmetrical break-up of the bubbles.