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Abstract
In this paper, preliminary experimental results are presented on pressure drop characteristics of single and two-phase flows through
two T-type rectangular microchannel mixers with hydraulic diameters of 528 and 333 m, respectively. It is shown that both N2 and
water single-phase laminar flows in microchannels, with consideration of experimental uncertainties, are consistent with classic theory, if
additional effects, such as entrance effects that will interfere with the interpretation of experimental results, are eliminated by carefully
designing the experiments. The obtained pressure drop data of N2 –water two-phase flow in micromixers are analyzed and compared with
existing flow pattern-independent models. It is found that the Lockhart–Martinelli method generally underpredicts the frictional pressure
drop. Thereafter, a modified correlation of C value in the Chisholm’s equation based on linear regression of experimental data is proposed
to provide a better prediction of the two-phase frictional pressure drop. Also among the homogeneous flow models investigated, the
viscosity correlation of McAdams indicates the best performance in correlating the frictional pressure drop data (mean deviations within
±20% for two micromixers both). Finally it is suggested that systematic studies are still required to accurately predict two-phase frictional
performance in microchannels.
© 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Microchannel; Micromixer; Two-phase flow; Laminar flow; Pressure drop
Rapid progresses in microelectromechanical systems For gas and liquid single-phase flows in microchan-
(MEMS) and miniaturization technologies are bringing sig- nels, contradictory experimental and simulation results
nificant changes to chemical process engineering. By means exist [8–25]. From the viewpoints of actual applications
of these technologies, we can build microstructured devices of microchannel reactors, we are mainly interested in fluid
to intensify mixing, heat and mass transfer, and also reac- laminar flow behavior in microchannels with diameters of
tions in chemical processes. Some successful efforts have several hundred micrometers (termed “large microchannels”
already been reported in recent years [1–3]. Nevertheless, in the following paragraphs), where compressible effects
the fundamentals of transport phenomena and reactions oc- and rarefaction effects are thought to be negligible.
curring in such microchannel devices are still unclear, mak- Currently available research papers on fluid laminar flow
ing it difficult to predict the performance of these devices in large microchannels reveal that the conclusions can be
precisely and quantitatively. Among these issues waiting mainly classified into three categories (divided by the rela-
to be addressed, single and two-phase flow behaviors in tionship between fRe and C): (1) fRe > C, i.e., fluid lami-
microchannels have the priority for the investigation, since nar flow in microchannels exhibits a higher pressure drop
these are crucial for successful designs and applications of [8–16]; (2) fRe < C, i.e., the pressure drop of fluid laminar
microreaction technologies, e.g., gas–liquid microreactors flow in microchannels is less than that predicted by classic
[4,5], single and two-phase flow microchannel heat sinks theory [17,18]; and (3) fRe = C, i.e., fluid laminar flow in
[6,7], etc. microchannels is still consistent with classic theory [19–25].
More details are tabulated in Table 1. Here fRe represents
∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +86-411-437-9031; the product of friction factor, f, with Reynolds number, Re,
fax: +86-411-469-1570. and C is laminar friction constant according to classic the-
E-mail address: gwchen@dicp.ac.cn (G. Chen). ory for a specific geometrical microchannel.
1385-8947/$ – see front matter © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.cej.2004.02.001
12 J. Yue et al. / Chemical Engineering Journal 102 (2004) 11–24
Table 1
Comparisons on results of current papers concerning fluid laminar flow in large microchannels
Reference Microchannel specification Fluid Conclusion Explanation
Wu and Little [8] Silicon or glass substrate, N2 , H2 , Ar Much higher fRe value under laminar Surface roughness
trapezoidal or near flow; early transition to turbulence, effects; uncertainty in
trapezoidal, DH : sometimes at Re as low as 400 channel depth after
45.46–83.08 m bonding
Papautsky et al. [9] Nickel electroformed Water fRe approximately 12% higher than that Micropolar fluid
microchannels, rectangular, of macro-scale laminar flow predictions theory
width: 50–600 m, depth:
20–30 m
Pfund et al. [10] Sandwich structure, Water fRe greater than the classic values in Roughness effects;
rectangular, DH : most cases; transitional Reynolds measurement
128–521 m, low aspect ratio number lower than that for macroscopic uncertainty
ducts, but much larger than the values
of 400–700
Ren et al. [11]∗ Two parallel plates with Water, aqueous KCl Up to 20% higher flow resistance for Electro-viscous
height 14.1, 28.2 and solutions (10−4 and pure water and the low ionic effects
40.5 m, respectively 10−2 M) concentration solution for the smallest
microchannel
Mala and Li [15] Fused silica and stainless Water The deviation from the conventional Roughness-viscosity
steel, circular, DH : theory occurred when Reynolds number model
50–254 m was not very small and increased with
decreasing diameter; material
dependence of flow behavior
Qu et al. [16] Silicon, trapezoidal, DH : Water Pressure gradient and flow friction Roughness-viscosity
51.3–168.9 m higher than that predicted by the model
conventional laminar flow theory
Yu et al. [17] Circular, DH = 19, 52, N2 , water fRe = 53 instead of 64 Not given
102 m
Jiang et al. [18] Silicon, trapezoidal, DH : Water fRe < 64, fRe depended not only on Not given
16.3–53.2 m cross-section sizes but also on the
length of the microchannels
Flockhart and Silicon, trapezoidal, DH : Water Laminar flow results conform to macro Good agreement with
Dhariwal [19] 50–120 m scale laws classic theory
Sharp et al. [20] Polyimide-coated fuse silica Water, glycerol, Flow in microtubes obeys classic Ditto
capillary, DH : 50–242 m 1-propanol laminar flow theory very well up to Re
of 1100–1500
Xu et al. [21] Aluminum or silicon, Water Laminar flow characteristics in Ditto
rectangular, DH : 30–344 m microchannels agree with conventional
behaviors predicted by the
Navier–Stokes equations
Bau and Pfahler [22] Silicon, trapezoidal, depth: Isopropyl alchol, The deviation of measured fRe from Ditto
0.5–200 m silicone oil, water theoretical predictions are relatively
small, within 20%
Judy et al. [23] Fused silica or stainless Methanol, water, fRe data revealed no distinguishable Ditto
steel, circular or rectangular, isopropanol deviation from macroscale stokes flow
DH : 15–150 m theory at Re < 2000
Liu and Garimella Plexiglass, rectangular, DH : Water The experimental results agree closely Ditto
[24] 244–974 m with the theoretical predictions in the
laminar region (Re < 2000)
Wu and Cheng [25] Silicon, smooth, trapezoidal Water The friction factors agree within ±11% Ditto
or triangular, DH : of the analytical solution based on the
25.9–291.0 m Stokes flow theory; transition to
turbulent flow at Re ≈ 1500–2000 for
large microchannels
∗ Similar results can also be seen in other papers [12–14].
ment with the homogeneous mixture assumption based on crochannels (DH = 866 m) could be well predicted by the
McAdams correlation. However, for annular flow, all exist- Lockhart–Martinelli correlation if the newly proposed fric-
ing models over-predicted void fraction and pressure drop tion factor correlation for single-phase flow was adopted,
data. Zhao and Bi [32] suggested that the frictional pres- and that the void fraction in slug flow could be well cor-
sure drop of air–water two-phase flow in triangular mi- related by the drift-flux model with zero drift velocity. In
14 J. Yue et al. / Chemical Engineering Journal 102 (2004) 11–24
Table 2
Specifications of the two T-type micromixers
Number Nominal hydraulic H (m) W (m) DH (m) Aspect ratio Sectional distance (cm)
diameter (m)
1–2 2–3 3–4 4–5 4–6
1 500 488 575 528 0.848 1.472 3.430 0.942 1.976 1.976
2 300 332 333 333 0.997 1.454 3.452 0.950 1.976 1.976
microchannels. Each piece was measured 3 or more times temperatures of N2 flowing in microchannels. A pressure
and results for multiple measurements were averaged to- transducer with range of 0–100 kPa was located at port 2
gether to give the final depths and widths of the microchan- measuring the corresponding static pressure. The pressure
nels in the mixing section for the two micromixers. It was drop between ports 2 and 3 was read directly from a U-tube
found that changes in the microchannel size along the mixing manometer with water as the indicator at lower pressure
channel were insignificant, generally within the measure- drops (<6 kPa) and by the difference between two pres-
ment error. Typical microchannel cross-sectional images are sure transducers with ranges of 0–100 kPa located at ports
shown in Fig. 3 and the detailed specifications of these two 2 and 3 at higher pressure drops (≥6 kPa). In the experi-
T-type micromixers are listed in Table 2. The cross-sectional ments for deionized water flow, its flow rate was controlled
sizes of two inlet channels were not measured and were by a 0–30 ml/min positive displacement pump. A filter was
thought to be identical to that of the mixing channel. installed midway between the water reservoir and the pump
to remove possible entrained particles and a buffer tank just
2.2. Experimental setup after the pump was used to stabilize the flow rate. The flow
route in the micromixer was the same as that for N2 flow
experiments. The water flow rate was also measured by an
The schematics of the test facilities for single and
electronic balance (i.e., weighing the accumulated water in
two-phase flow pressure drop measurements are clearly
a container over a period of time, then calculating its flow
demonstrated in Fig. 4.
rate). It was found that the measured water flow rate was in
For single-phase flow test, experiments were performed
good linear relationship with the set value of the pump. For
for both N2 and deionized water laminar flows in microchan-
pressure difference measurement between ports 2 and 3, a
nels. In the former case, N2 from the gas cylinder was con-
U-tube manometer with CCl4 as the indicator was applied
veyed by a pressure-regulating valve and was forced to flow
for the micromixer with 528 m hydraulic diameter while
through a filter to remove possible contaminations. Then a
two different pressure transducers with ranges of 0–100 kPa
mass flow controller with range of 0–500 standard cubic
were directly used for the micromixer with 333 m hydraulic
centimeters per minute (SCCM) served to adjust its flow
diameter.
rate before it was introduced into port 1 (see Fig. 1) in
For horizontal two-phase flow test, N2 and boiled deion-
the T-type micromixer. After horizontally flowing along the
ized water were regulated by the mass flow controller and
mixing channel in the 1–4 direction, N2 was then divided
the positive displacement pump mentioned above, respec-
into two streams and finally exited at the outlet ports 5
tively, as sketched in Fig. 4c. N2 was flowing through one
and 6. Two thermocouples (K-type) were located in the in-
inlet channel, i.e., port 6 in the micromixer plate while water
let port 1 and outlet port 6 to measure the corresponding
was entering from the other inlet channel (port 5). Subse-
quently they met at the beginning of the mixing channel and
the resulting two-phase mixture was guided to flow along
the 4–1 direction. After the two-phase mixture left the mi-
cromixer from the outlet port 1, it was discharged into air
through a connecting tube. Static pressures at ports 2 and 3
were measured using two pressure transducers, with range
of 0–100 kPa for lower static pressure and 0–1000 kPa for
higher one. The inlet and outlet temperatures of the two
phases were measured using three thermocouples (K-type).
It should be noted that before each run during the two-phase
flow experiments, water must be filled into the micromixer
to remove any possible air remaining in it as well as the
associated measuring and connecting systems.
Data on single and two-phase flow experiments were
Fig. 3. Images of microchannels in the mixing sections of T-type mi- all recorded under steady-state conditions in order to re-
cromixers: (a) DH = 528 m; (b) DH = 333 m. duce possible perturbation caused by the placement of two
16 J. Yue et al. / Chemical Engineering Journal 102 (2004) 11–24
Fig. 4. Schematics of the test facilities: (a) N2 single-phase flow; (b) water single-phase flow; (c) N2 –water two-phase flow.
pressure taps on board and it was found that this arrangement free path to hydraulic diameter) is larger than 0.001 [38].
could always produce reliable and reproducible results. However, for the present test, the mean free path of N2 at
ambient condition was considered to be 67.6 nm [39], there-
fore in our two micromixers (DH = 528 and 333 m), the
3. Results and discussions N2 Knudsen numbers were about 0.00013 and 0.0002, re-
spectively. Consequently, rarefaction effects were negligible.
3.1. Single-phase flow For liquid flow, slip flow is more difficult to occur [27]. In
a word, the occurrence of slip flow behavior in the present
In the present single-phase flow experiments in mi- test was excluded and the classic Navier–Stokes equation
crochannels, it was observed that in every run, the inlet with non-slip flow boundary conditions is still applicable.
and outlet fluid temperatures were very close to room As clearly demonstrated in recent papers [23,24,26], a de-
temperature (293 K), so the experiments were thought to tailed experimental uncertainty analysis and additional mea-
be conducted isothermally. Also due to the short distance surement cautions should be considered prior to the reason-
between two pressure taps, the measured pressure drop able interpretation of experimental results.
was rather small compared to the absolute pressure in Thus, to eliminate entrance and exit effects, the pres-
the microchannel (generally less than 5% of the latter), sure drop was measured on board some distance from the
thus it was reasonable to assume an incompressible fluid inlet and outlet, i.e., between ports 2 and 3 in Fig. 1 and
flow. the experiments were performed under the condition that
Sometimes fluid flow in small microchannels will exhibit the calculated entrance length was lower than the distance
rarefaction effects. For gaseous flow, significant slip flow be- between ports 1 and 2 to ensure fully developed laminar
havior will occur when Knudsen number (the ratio of mean flow in the test section. The following equation for entrance
J. Yue et al. / Chemical Engineering Journal 102 (2004) 11–24 17
length calculation is used [40]: the overall experimental uncertainty most due to the highest
factors by which δH/H, δW/W and (δH + δW)/(H + W)
Le = 0.09ReDH (1)
W are multiplied.
Also, a careful experimental uncertainty analysis must be Using the estimated errors of parameters listed in Table 3,
performed. Therefore, for a rectangular microchannel built it was found that the conservative experimental uncertain-
in the T-type micromixer, we have ties in fRe, f and Re are 13.58, 13.14 and 3.74% for the mi-
cromixer with 528 m hydraulic diameter respectively, and
2ρQ 21.30, 20.11 and 5.13% for the micromixer with 333 m
Re = (2)
µ(H + W) hydraulic diameter, respectively.
According to classic theory, the friction constant for
4pH3 W 3
f = (3) single-phase isothermal, incompressible and fully devel-
ρLQ2 (H + W) oped laminar flow in a rectangular channel, i.e., the product
8pH3 W 3 of friction factor and Reynolds number is [40]:
fRe = (4)
QLµ(H + W)2 fRe = 96(1 − 3.5553α + 1.9467α2 − 1.7012α3
According to error analysis theory, the uncertainties in Re, + 0.9564α4 − 0.2537α5 ) (8)
f and fRe are estimated as follows [41]:
where
2 2 1/2
δRe δQ 2 δρ δµ δH + δW 2 H
= + + + α= (9)
Re Q ρ µ H +W W
(5) As indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, in microchannels of the
two micromixers, the experimentally derived friction fac-
2 2 2 tor is a function of Reynolds number for N2 and water
δf δp δρ δL 2
δQ laminar flows respectively. The line f = C/Re, predicted
= + + + 2
f p ρ L Q by classic theory, is also plotted for comparison (C =
2 2 1/2 57.3 for DH = 528 m microchannel and C = 56.9 for
δH δW δH + δW 2 DH = 333 m microchannel). Considering the measure-
+ 3 + 3 + (6)
H W H +W ment uncertainties, measured f is in good agreement with
2 the classic theory predictions under the present laminar flow
δfRe δp 2 δQ 2 δL 2 δµ conditions.
= + + +
fRe p Q L µ Another method clearly demonstrating fluid laminar flow
1/2 behavior is to plot figures showing friction constant as a
δH 2 δW 2 δH + δW 2 function of Reynolds number, as displayed in Figs. 7 and 8.
+ 3 + 3 + 2 (7)
H W H +W Obviously, the measured fRe values are nearly independent
of Re given the small differences from the classic fRe values
The derivation of experimental errors in the parameters within the experiment uncertainties.
located in the right sides of Eqs. (5)–(7) is demonstrated in Consequently, we can conclude that in fully developed,
Table 3 and it should be claimed here that these estimations incompressible and isothermal laminar flow region, fluid be-
are rather conservative because most uncertainties in basic havior in microchannels with diameters of several hundred
measured parameters (H, W, L, etc.) were taken to be at micrometers still obeys classic theory, which is also proved
the minimum level. The uncertainties in the density and vis- by many other authors [19–25]. Even if such micro effects
cosity of fluids depend on the measurement accuracies of as electro-viscous effects for liquid flow and roughness ef-
temperature, pressure and the correlations to describe them, fects exist [8–16], they only play minor roles in determining
therefore their uncertainties were assumed to be about 1% the friction factor of fluid flow in the smooth or near smooth
in this paper. Meanwhile, Eqs. (5)–(7) suggest that in deter- microchannels used in this work. In other words, without ex-
mining fRe and f for fluid laminar flow in microchannels, the cluding the experiment uncertainties, the influences of these
measurement error in the microchannel size contributes to effects are hard to recognize.
Table 3
Experimental errors in parameters located in the right sides of Eqs. (5)–(7)
Parameter δH δW δL δp/ δρ/ρ δQ/Q δµ/µ δH/H δW/W δL/L
(m) (m) (m) p
DH = 528 m, DH = 333 m, DH = 528 m, DH = 333 m, L ≈ 3.5 cm
H = 488 m H = 332 m W = 575 m W = 333 m
Experimental ∼15 ∼15 ∼20 ∼1% ∼1% ∼2% ∼1% ∼3.08% ∼4.52% ∼2.61% ∼4.50% ∼0.06%
error
18 J. Yue et al. / Chemical Engineering Journal 102 (2004) 11–24
Fig. 5. Friction factor for fluid flow in the microchannel with hydraulic diameter of 528 m.
3.2. Two-phase flow classification by Akbar et al. [31], the two-phase flow pat-
terns under our experimental conditions (for the microchan-
3.2.1. Analysis of pressure drop data nel with DH = 528 m, WeLS = 0.24–5.94, WeGS =
For horizontal two-phase flow, the measured total pressure 0.020–7.19; for the microchannel with DH = 333 m,
drop is expressed as WeLS = 0.97–5.25, WeGS = 0.030–8.22) might cover slug
flow regime and transitional zone, as evidenced in the
pT = pF + pA (10) experiments at the lowest gas flow rate where slug flow
where was clearly observed. Consequently the classic drift flux
model was chosen to roughly describe the void fractions in
x2 (1 − x)2 microchannels. It means
pA = G 2
+
ρG α (1 − α)ρL outlet
2 jG /α = C0 j + Vb (12)
x (1 − x)2
− + (11) For a horizontal flow [42], Vb = 0 and C0 = 1.2 were
ρG α (1 − α)ρL inlet
assumed and Eq. (12) can be further reduced to
Apparently, void fraction data are needed for the calcu-
lation of the acceleration pressure drop. According to the α = 0.833β (13)
Fig. 6. Friction factor for fluid flow in the microchannel with hydraulic diameter of 333 m.
J. Yue et al. / Chemical Engineering Journal 102 (2004) 11–24 19
Fig. 7. Friction constant for fluid flow in the microchannel with hydraulic Fig. 9. Total and acceleration pressure drop data of two-phase flow in the
diameter of 528 m. micromixer with hydraulic diameter of 528 m.
where
3.2.2. Comparisons with existing flow pattern-independent
β = jG /j (14) models
Flow pattern-independent models are widely used in
Eq. (13) is in reasonable agreement with those described by calculating two-phase pressure drop for engineering appli-
Serizawa et al. [29] and Zhao and Bi [32]. cations, which is mainly due to their simplicities without ne-
Figs. 9 and 10 present the pressure drop data of N2 –water cessity to know the details of two-phase flow. Among them,
two-phase flow in the micromixers with hydraulic diameters separated flow model and homogeneous flow model are
of 528 and 333 m, respectively. From these figures it was well known and used by many people [42]. Therefore, based
found that the two-phase total pressure drop increased with on the measured data, the adequacy of predictions based
increasing jG for constant jL , and increased with increasing on these two models for the interpretation of two-phase
jL for constant jG as well. The acceleration pressure drop pressure drop characteristics in T-type micromixers will be
was only less than 2% of the total pressure drop under the examined here.
present experimental conditions. Nevertheless, the signifi- A generally accepted correlation to describe two-phase
cant pressure differences in microchannels would cause the frictional pressure drop based on a separated flow assump-
density of N2 to change dramatically along the channel, so tion was proposed by Lockhart and Martinelli [43]. It sug-
the average N2 density based on the average pressure be- gests that
tween two pressure taps was used in correlating frictional
pressure drop data. pF pF
= L 2
(15)
L TP L L
Fig. 8. Friction constant for fluid flow in the microchannel with hydraulic Fig. 10. Total and acceleration pressure drop data of two-phase flow in
diameter of 333 m. the micromixer with hydraulic diameter of 333 m.
20 J. Yue et al. / Chemical Engineering Journal 102 (2004) 11–24
Table 4 ever, Figs. 11 and 12 show that for both 528 and 333 m
C values in Eq. (17) for different types of flow hydraulic diameter microchannels the experimentally de-
Gas flow regime Liquid flow regime C rived C values lie between 5 and 20, implying that Lockhart
Laminar Laminar 5
and Martinelli correlation significantly under-predicts the
Laminar Turbulent 10 experimental frictional pressure drop. The deviation far
Turbulent Laminar 12 exceeds any possible experimental uncertainties. Similar
Turbulent Turbulent 20 conclusion was also drawn by Fukano and Kariyasaki [37]
who found that frictional multiplier became very large
compared to the predictions by the Chisholm’s equation
(pF /L)L in the range of X = 1–10 for air–water two-phase flow in
X2 = (16)
(pF /L)G 2.4 mm diameter capillary. They ascribed it to the effect
where (pF /L)TP is the two-phase frictional pressure drop caused by the peculiar flow field of slug flow in small
gradient while (pF /L)L and (pF /L)G represent the capillaries.
frictional pressure drop gradient when liquid and gas are as- Another deviation is seen from these figures that Lockhart
sumed to flow in the microchannel alone, respectively. Based and Martinelli correlation fails to describe the dependence
on the single-phase flow results described in Section 3.1, of C value on X and jL , i.e., the present N2 –water two-phase
(pF /L)L and (pF /L)G can be calculated using clas- flow in microchannels exhibits significant mass flux effect,
sic laminar flow theory under the testing conditions of the as already proved by other authors for air–water two-phase
two-phase flow. flow in mini rectangular channels [36,45] and for two-phase
Lockhart and Martinelli [43] only presented the curve of flow of refrigerants in a mini tube [46]. Thus a modifica-
Φ2L versus X. Later Chisholm [44] proposed the following tion of C value in Eq. (17) was developed for the present
equation to correlate the relationship between them, that is experiments:
C 1 C = aXb RecLO
Φ2L = 1 + + 2 (17) (18)
X X
where the value of coefficient C depended on the flow con- where a = 0.411822, b = −0.0305 and c = 0.600428,
dition of each phase in channels and is listed in Table 4. obtained by a least square regression. Fig. 13 illustrates the
Figs. 11 and 12 compare the experimental Φ2L as a func- good curve fitting performance for this regression.
tion of X with the value predicted by Eq. (17). Because Figs. 14 and 15 demonstrate the relationships between
most of the present experiments were conducted under the the experimental Φ2L values and the values predicted by
condition that both ReLS and ReGS were lower than 1000, combining Eqs. (17) and (18) for the two micromixers. The
C value in Eq. (17) should be 5 according to Table 4. How- agreement between the experimental and theoretical values
Fig. 11. Relationship between two-phase frictional multiplier and Martinelli parameter for the micromixer with DH = 528 m (65 < ReGS < 1000,
99 < ReLS < 504).
J. Yue et al. / Chemical Engineering Journal 102 (2004) 11–24 21
Fig. 12. Relationship between two-phase frictional multiplier and Martinelli parameter for the micromixer with DH = 333 m (66 < ReGS < 1000,
134 < ReLS < 330).
is satisfactory for either of the two mixers. If the mean centage of Φ2L data lying within the error bound of ±20%
deviation is given by is 95.5 and 93.8% for the respective micromixer.
N In contrast to the separated flow model, the homoge-
i=1 |(the ith predicted value − the ith measured value)/ neous flow model treats two-phase mixture as a well-mixed
the ith measured value| pseudo-single-phase fluid with homogeneous mixture den-
N sity and viscosity. Generally speaking, in the homogenous
×100%, flow model, we have
then the Φ2L mean deviations for micromixers with DH = pF 1 G2
=f (19)
528 and 333 m are 6.35 and 6.29%, respectively. The per- L TP DH 2ρTP
where under laminar flow condition
1 x 1−x
= + (20)
ρTP ρG ρL
Fig. 13. Performance of Eq. (18) in predicting C value in the Chisholm’s Fig. 14. Comparison of measured Φ2L to that predicted by combining
equation. Eqs. (17) and (18) for the micromixer with DH = 528 m.
22 J. Yue et al. / Chemical Engineering Journal 102 (2004) 11–24
Table 5
Viscosity correlations and corresponding performances in predicting two-phase flow frictional pressure drop in microchannels
Viscosity model Equation (number) DH = 528 m DH = 333 m
viscosity also predicted their pressure drop of air–water bub- and Key Program for International Cooperation of Science
bly flow and slug flow in microchannels well. and Technology (No. 2001CB711203), and Innovative Fund
of Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy
of Sciences (No. K2003E09030408).
4. Conclusions
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