• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.417-424
• /
• 2009

A micro-mixer with a quasi-active rotor was fabricated, and mixing characteristics were evaluated. The proposed micro-mixer combines an active type micro-mixer with a passive type micro-mixer. The micro-rotor, which is a moving part of an active type micro-mixer, is added in a micro-chamber of a passive type vortex micro-mixer. The rotor rotated by inflows tangent to a chamber, causing strong perturbations. The micro-mixers were fabricated using photosensitive glass. Mixing efficiency of the micro-mixers was measured using an image analysis method. Mixing efficiency and characteristics of the micro-rotor mixer were compared with the vortex micro-mixer without a rotor. Mixing efficiency was reduced as Reynolds number increased at a low Reynolds number due to decrease of residence time. Mixing efficiency at higher Reynolds number, on the other hand, was improved even though residence time decreased since the contact surface between fluids increased by twisted flow. The perturbation induced by rotating rotor at greater than Re 200 improved the efficiency of the rotor mixer.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2006.08a
• /
• pp.301-304
• /
• 2006

This paper presents a review of the important recent literature available in the area of micro-channel flow analysis and mixing. The topics covered include the physics of flows in micro-channels and integrated simulation of micro-channel flows. Also the flow control models and electro-kinetically driven micro-channel flows are explained. A comparison of various mixing principles in micro-channels are provided in sufficient detail.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.30 no.12 s.255
• /
• pp.1642-1648
• /
• 2006

This paper describes enhancement of the mixing efficiency of a multilamination micro mixer by adding a number of recirculation zones downstream of the mixing zone. Numerical simulation was employed to estimate the mixing efficiency and the pressure drop under various conditions. Numerical results indicated that recirculation micro mixer brought about not only the increase of the mixing efficiency but also the decrease of the pressure drop. Micro mixers were fabricated using photosensitive glass by anisotropic wet etching technique. The width and height of the micro channel were $150{\mu}m$ and $500{\mu}m$, respectively. The performance of micro mixer was measured using color intensity variation of the fluid. Except for extremely low Re below 40, the recirculation micro mixer of the present study showed improved mixing. And the enhancement of the mixing increased as Re rose. When Re increased beyond 400, more than 90% of the mixing was observed in the experiment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.459-464
• /
• 2013

The purpose of a micro-mixing device is to enhance the mixing by increasing the diffusion effect between different types of flows. There have been many attempts to actively or passively increase mixing. However, those studies were limited to lab-scale experiments because the production of devices requires a series of processes, time, cost, and the mixing quality itself. For this reason, this study attempted to develop a quick and simple process for micro-mixing device fabrication by using conventional machining and bonding processes and applying ultrasonic waves from the outside of the mixing device. The mixing quality was quantified by using the mixing index, and the results showed that the proposed system increases the mixing from ~33% to ~10% with respect to the flow rates.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.29 no.5 s.236
• /
• pp.707-715
• /
• 2005

In this work, Scalar Passive code in Lattice Boltzmann Method is employed to simulate two-phase flow of low Reynolds number in a micro-channel. The mixing characteristics in a micro-channel is a function of Peclet number. The mixing length increases with the Peclet number. It is found that with the inclusion of static elements at the channel, rapid mixing of two liquids can be achieved, as shown by the results of computer simulations. The enhancement in mixing performance is thought to be caused by the generation of eddies and by lateral velocity component when the mixture flows past static elements. The results indicate that the size of static element has more effect on the mixing than the number of static element.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 2003.06a
• /
• pp.233-236
• /
• 2003

The micro-stereolithography technology made it possible to fabricate a freeform 3D micro-structure. Using this technology, two kind of applications were fabricated and tested: micro-lens and micro-mixers. The focal length and f-number of the micro-lens were 5 mm and 2.5, respectively. The focusing ability of the micro-lens was verified by defocusing the He-Ne laser beam after passing the lens. Two mixers are Kenics micro-mixer and BEKM. BEKM is a modified Kenics micro-mixer by introducing barriers on the pipe walt periodically to enhance the mixing via the chaotic mechanism in the helical flow of Kenics micro-mixer. Experimental result shows good mixing performance of developed mixers. Especially, the BEKM shows better mixing performance then Kenics micro-mixer.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2003.12a
• /
• pp.231-237
• /
• 2003

A numerical study has been conducted to investigate the effect of an inlet flow pulsation on mixing of two solutions with different concentrations in a micro conduit. We treat an unsteady, incompressible and two-dimensional flow through a micro conduit by adopting the momentum equations with the electrostatic force due to streaming current and the concentration equation. The feasibility of the inlet flow pulsation to enhance the mixing process inside the micro conduit is carefully examined by varying the inlet pulsation frequency. When a low-frequency pulsation is induced at the inlet, the interface between two solutions with different concentrations becomes wavy, which results in mixing enhancement. As the pulsation frequency increases, the waviness of the interface becomes meager, and the concentration gradients at the interface approach the value for the non-pulsating steady flow.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.275-281
• /
• 2005

In this work, Scalar Passive code in Lattice Boltzmann Method was employed to simulate mixing performance of Passive mixer in a micro-channel. It physically analyzed stream line and Pressure drop for passive mixer in a micro-channel. The flow characteristics in a micro-channel was a function of Peclet number. The results indicated that the size of static element was more effect on the mixing than the number of static element and the distance of static elements.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.30 no.2 s.245
• /
• pp.144-152
• /
• 2006

In order to consider the effect of Karman vortex for mixing, mixing indices are calculated for 4 models of micro channel flows driven from the combinations of a circular cylinder and a oscillating stirrer. And their results are compared to that of a simple straight micro channel flow(model I). The mixing rate is improved 5.5 times by Karman vortex (model II) and 11.0 times by the stirrer(model III) respectively. In case of successive mixing by the cylinder and the stirrer(model IV), $27\%$ of shortening the channel length for the complete mixing as well as 1.37 times improvement of mixing efficiency then model III. And then, variation of mixing indices are much stable comparing with the others. Thus, it is found that the Karman vortex plays a good role as a pre-mixing method. The D2Q9 Lattice Boltzmann methods are used.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.143-149
• /
• 2008

This paper presents the results of the study on the novel micro mixer. Existing micro mixer is classified as active mixing and passive mixing by the mixing principles. Both mixing principles have problems. For solving these problems, this research has developed the novel micro mixers based on a totally different principle compared with former mixers. They not only have a simpler structure than former ones but also are able to achieve high mixing efficiency in spite of low power consumption due to using Lorentz Force. In addition, they are designed to increase the efficiency of mixing by changing the rotating direction of fluid with a polar switching circuit. Driving forces of the mixer are Lorentz force and a moving force of fluid due to electrophoresis. Because the efficiency of mixer is affected by electrode shape, several models have been made. The computer simulation has been made to estimate the efficiency of each mixer.