Mixing in Flow Devices

Two-Dimensional Geometries

Prepared by

Ha Dinh

Mentor: Professor Emeritus Bruce A. Finlayson

Department of Chemical Engineering
University of Washington
May 5, 2008
I. Introduction
The purpose of this research project is to study the mixing effect in microchannels
in two geometries. The first geometry is a curved channel in a C-shape and the second
one is a spiral channel. The study is first carried out in two-dimension objects using
dimensionless variables. Later, study on three-dimension geometries will be done by the
same method. The geometries are constructed in the program Comsol Multiphysics. The
problem is solved in first in small range of Reynolds number for laminar flow; then at a
fixed Reynolds number of 1 while varying the Peclet number from 100 to 1000. The
characteristics of mixing in the channel are determined based on five quantities: mixing
cup concentration and its variance, optical average concentration and optical variance and
the pressure drop across the length of the channel. The definitions and methods to
calculate these values are presented in the next section.

II. Theory and Methods

Theory
Flow in microfluidic devices is laminar in a low range of Reynolds number. The
geometries are constructed to achieve fully developed flow for Reynolds number from 1
to 100. The Peclet number is the measurement of the relationship between diffusion and
convection. This study is carried on in the range of Peclet number from 100 to 1000.

The geometries are solved based on the nondimensional Navier-Stokes equation

∂u′
Re + Re u ′ ⋅∇′u ′ = −∇′p′ + ∇′2u ′ (Equation 1)
∂t ′
in which the dimensionless variables are defined as
u
u ′ = → u = us u′ (Equation 2)
us
p
p′ = → p = ps p ′ (Equation 3)
ps
x
x′ = → x = xs x′ (Equation 4)
xs
1
∇′ = x s ∇ → ∇ = ∇′ (Equation 5)
xs

The standard units of the variables in this problem are given as below
 Velocity standard: us = 0.005 m/s
 Distance standard: xs = 200 μm
 Fluid density: ρ = 100 kg/m3
 Viscosity: η = 0.001 Pa.s
 Diffusivity: D = 10-9 m2/s
From the above values, the Reynolds number for the dimensional problem is 1
and its Peclet number is 1000.

The geometries are constructed so that the dimensionless diameter of the channels
and average inlet velocity are 1. The mixing cup concentration and its variance are used
to evaluate how well the geometry work. In this report, this concentration and its variance
will be determined by the product of concentration and velocity integrated on the surface
of the concerned boundary. The following formulas are used in the calculation with
velocity integration included

∫ c ( x, y, z ) v ( x, y ) dxdy (Equation 8)
cmixing cup = A

∫ v ( x, y ) dxdy
A

∫ c ( x, y, z ) − c  v ( x, y ) dxdy
2
mixing cup

cvar iance = A (Equation 9)

∫ v ( x, y ) dxdy
A

With average velocity assumed to be 1 over any crossed-sectional area along the
path, the velocity is not taken into account and the above formulas become

∫ c ( x, y, z ) dA
cmixing cup ,optical = A
(Equation 10)
∫ dA
A

∫ c ( x, y, z ) − cmixing cup  dA

2

cvar iance,optical = A
(Equation 11)
∫ dA
A

Equations 10 and 11 calculate the optical average concentration integrated over

the crossed section of the channel and its optical variance.

After the models in interest are run in Comsol, the pressure drop between the inlet
and outlet of the channel is recorded. This value is nondimensional according to the
problem setup. In order to get the pressure drop in Pascals, the pressure standard is taken
into account:
µu
p = ps p ′ = s p ′
xs
 From the given standards, the pressure standard can be calculated as
µ u ( 0.001Pa ⋅ s ) ( 0.005 m s )
ps = s = = 0.025 Pa
xs 200 µ m

Methods
Step 1: Constructing the geometry in COMSOL Multiphysics.
The geometry is constructed in COMSOL under the setting of Model Navigator
“Chemical Engineering Module/ Momentum Transport/ Laminar Flow/ Imcompressible
Navier-Stokes/ Steady State Analysis”. The option of solving for convection and
diffusion is added later. Its dimensions are resembled the literature drawings as much as
possible (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Illustration of Dean flow effects in a curved microchannel. (“Fluid mixing in

planar spiral microchannels”, Arjun P. Sudarsan and Victor M. Ugaz, The Royal Society
of Chemistry journal, 2006).

For the first geometry including only one arc between the inlets and outlet, the
ratio between the radius of curvature and the diameter of the channel is approximately 3.
The two inlets’ diameter is a half of the mixing section’s one. In dimensionless system,
the diameter of the curved mixing section is 1 and the diameter of the inlets is ½. The
inner radius of the mixing section is 2.5 and the outer one is 3.5 (these radii imply that the
radius of the centerline of the arc has a radius of 3, satisfying the approximation ratio
stated earlier).
 The second geometry is a two-arc spiral constructed in the same manner. Its
diameter is 1. The larger arc’s outer diameter is 20 and the smaller one’s is 17. The object
is constructed by making four separate C-shaped arcs and creating a composite object
from them. The internal boundaries are kept for later evaluation of mixing effect along
the equivalent path.

Step 2: Setting Physical and Boundary Conditions.

Before putting the physical properties and boundary conditions in, all of the
subdomains in the geometry should be grouped together.

1. Step 2.1: Conditions for the Navier-Stokes Equation

Subdomain Settings: The density of fluid in this setting is directly related to the
Reynolds number the problem is solved at. This is proved from the definition of
Reynolds number in terms of dimensionless variables:
xs = D = 1
us = u = average velocity = 1
Set µ = 1
ρ u x ρ ⋅1 ⋅1
Re = s s =
µ 1 (Equation 6)
 In 2D problem, the geometries are solved at Re = 1; therefore, the density is set to
be 1 when the dynamic viscosity is 1.
Boundary Settings:
• The two inlet boundaries are set as
Boundary Type: “Inlet”
Boundary Condition: “Velocity”
Quantity: Initial value uo = 0.02
• The outlet boundary is set as
Boundary Type: “Outlet”
Boundary Condition: “Pressure”
Quantity: Initial value Po = 0
In some cases, this setting does not convert. The Boundary Condition can be set
as “Laminar inflow” in stead of “Inlet”.
2. Step 2.2: Add one more model
From the menu Multiphysics/ Model Navigator, choose Mass Transport/
Convection and Difussion/ Steady State Analysis to the convection and diffusion
equations into the problem.

3. Step 2.3: Conditions for Convection and Diffusion Equations

Switch to the newly added model to enter its properties.
Subdomain Settings: The diffusivity is inversely proportional to the Peclet
number. The Peclet number when written in terms of dimensionless variables proves this
relationship:
v x 1 ⋅1
Pe ≡ s s =
D D (Equation 7)

The expected range for Pe number is from 100 to 1000 as mentioned above. This
2D problem is solved at Pe = 100. Therefore, the diffusion coefficient is set as 1/100.
The x-velosity is u and the y-velocity is v.

Boundary Settings:
• The two inlet boundaries are set as
Boundary Condition: “Concentration”
Quantity: Initial value Co = 1 for one boundary and Co = 0 for the other
• The outlet boundary is set as
Boundary Condition: “Convective flux”

Step 3: Solving for the five desired quantities

After defining the mesh, the Navier-Stokes equation is solved first. Then, its
solution is used as the initial values to solve the convection and diffusion model.

III. Results
 Variance for m ixing in spiral channel

0
-2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0
-1

-2

-3

Boundary 14
-4
Boundary 13
Boundary 12
-5
Boundary 15

-6

-7

-8

-9
z'/ Pe

Figure 1. Variance for mixing in spiral channel.

IV. Appendices

Table 1. Results for the "C-

shaped" geometry.
Run Re Pe ΔP' ΔP (Pa) cmixing cup variance optical cmixing cup optical variance

1 1 100 138.3236 0.345809 0.522661 0.009882 0.520871 0.013262

2 5 100 139.7576 0.349394 0.506936 0.009972 0.505739 0.013392
3 10 100 140.0313 0.350078 0.482464 0.009932 0.480393 0.01334
4 20 100 143.5337 0.358834 0.417892 0.008998 0.414212 0.012089
5 30 100 146.5596 0.366399 0.364779 0.007843 0.359655 0.010534
6 1 100 138.3236 0.345809 0.522661 0.009882 0.520871 0.013262
7 1 200 138.3236 0.345809 0.53096 0.051898 0.527205 0.069422
8 1 300 138.3236 0.345809 0.5351 0.101984 0.530596 0.136345
9 1 500 138.3236 0.345809 0.538432 0.242726 0.533878 0.326286
10 1 750 138.3236 0.345809 0.518805 1.052737 0.503574 1.49883
11 1 1000 138.3236 0.345809 0.811418 5.992557 0.944414 10.269733

Table 2. Results for the spiral geometry.

Boundary 14
optical optical
Run Re Pe z'/Pe ΔP' (D'less) ΔP (Pa) cmixing cup variance cmixing cup variance

1 1 100 0.0766 1449.8147 3.6245368 0.477393 3.96E-04 0.716041 0.086442

2 5 100 0.0766 1465.738 3.6643449 0.382851 3.77E-04 0.574425 0.055937
3 10 100 0.0766 1488.4553 3.7211382 0.34377 3.70E-04 0.515848 0.045275
4 20 100 0.0766 1536.7098 3.8417745 0.321108 3.70E-04 0.481849 0.039622
 5 30 100 0.0766 1585.3906 3.9634764 0.313009 3.72E-04 0.469693 0.037698
6 1 100 0.0766 1449.8147 3.6245368 0.477393 3.96E-04 0.716041 0.086442
7 1 200 0.0383 1449.8147 3.6245368 0.454138 0.008 0.681197 0.097348
8 1 300 0.0255 1449.8147 3.6245368 0.442092 0.02139 0.663521 0.126851
9 1 500 0.0153 1449.8147 3.6245368 0.42968 0.04688 0.646091 0.186774
10 1 750 0.0102 1449.8147 3.6245368 0.421141 0.07026 0.634867 0.242812
11 1 1000 0.0077 1449.8147 3.6245368 0.415763 0.08707 0.628372 0.283451

Boundary 13
optical optical
Run Re Pe z'/Pe ΔP' (D'less) ΔP (Pa) cmixing cup variance cmixing cup variance

1 1 100 0.1414 1862.7192 4.656798 0.474293 4.31E-05 0.711328 0.084439

2 5 100 0.1414 1883.7129 4.7092823 0.370961 3.68E-05 0.556571 0.051721
3 10 100 0.1414 1916.6314 4.7915784 0.32918 3.45E-05 0.493951 0.040751
4 20 100 0.1414 1991.0736 4.9776841 0.304841 3.42E-05 0.457459 0.034963
5 30 100 0.1414 2068.0089 5.1700222 0.29612 3.43E-05 0.444382 0.032998
6 1 100 0.1414 1862.7192 4.656798 0.474293 4.31E-05 0.711328 0.084439
7 1 200 0.0707 1862.7192 4.656798 0.434721 0.00247 0.651639 0.076935
8 1 300 0.0471 1862.7192 4.656798 0.406779 0.00922 0.61006 0.085084
9 1 500 0.0283 1862.7192 4.656798 0.372741 0.02621 0.561291 0.118014
10 1 750 0.0188 1862.7192 4.656798 0.348465 0.04452 0.528539 0.157797
11 1 1000 0.0141 1862.7192 4.656798 0.333319 0.05859 0.509164 0.189543

Boundary 12
optical optical
Run Re Pe z'/Pe ΔP' (D'less) ΔP (Pa) cmixing cup variance cmixing cup variance

1 1 100 0.2062 2277.0698 5.6926745 0.475098 4.31E-05 0.711328 0.084439

2 5 100 0.2062 2304.4732 5.761183 0.374666 3.68E-05 0.556571 0.051721
3 10 100 0.2062 2349.0769 5.8726921 0.333831 3.45E-05 0.493951 0.040751
4 20 100 0.2062 2452.3961 6.1309904 0.310093 3.42E-05 0.457459 0.034963
5 30 100 0.2062 2560.8246 6.4020614 0.301587 3.43E-05 0.444382 0.032998
6 1 100 0.2062 2277.0698 5.6926745 0.474293 4.31E-05 0.711328 0.084439
7 1 200 0.1031 2277.0698 5.6926745 0.434721 0.00247 0.651639 0.076935
8 1 300 0.0687 2277.0698 5.6926745 0.406779 0.00922 0.61006 0.085084
9 1 500 0.0412 2277.0698 5.6926745 0.372741 0.02621 0.561291 0.118014
10 1 750 0.0275 2277.0698 5.6926745 0.348465 0.04452 0.528539 0.157797
11 1 1000 0.0206 2277.0698 5.6926745 0.333319 0.05859 0.509164 0.189543

Boundary 15
optical optical
Run Re Pe z'/Pe ΔP' (D'less) ΔP (Pa) cmixing cup variance cmixing cup variance

1 1 100 0.2827 3494.7955 8.7369887 0.47521 1.50E-08 0.712816 0.084684

2 5 100 0.2827 3525.02 8.8125499 0.375245 1.09E-08 0.562867 0.052803
3 10 100 0.2827 3574.7609 8.9369023 0.333831 4.37E-06 0.500718 0.041795
4 20 100 0.2827 3690.6243 9.2265608 0.310906 9.37E-09 0.466358 0.036248
5 30 100 0.2827 3812.079 9.5301976 0.302431 9.47E-09 0.453645 0.034299
 6 1 100 0.2827 3494.7955 8.7369887 0.47521 1.50E-08 0.712816 0.084684
7 1 200 0.1414 3494.7955 8.7369887 0.446994 4.9E-05 0.670493 0.075049
8 1 300 0.0942 3494.7955 8.7369887 0.436885 0.00071 0.655228 0.073329
9 1 500 0.0565 3494.7955 8.7369887 0.435988 0.00607 0.653088 0.08625
10 1 750 0.0377 3494.7955 8.7369887 0.44138 0.01799 0.659614 0.11748
11 1 1000 0.0283 3494.7955 8.7369887 0.44656 0.03132 0.665958 0.152187