Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7fkt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T18:55:34.976Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Lattice Boltzmann Simulation of Droplet Formation in Non-Newtonian Fluids

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 April 2015

Y. Shi
Affiliation:
MOE Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
G. H. Tang*
Affiliation:
MOE Key Laboratory of Thermo-Fluid Science and Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710049, P.R. China
*
*Corresponding author. Email address: [email protected] (G. H. Tang)
Get access

Abstract

Newtonian and non-Newtonian dispersed phase droplet formation in non-Newtonian continuous phase in T-junction and cross junction microchannels are investigated by the immiscible lattice BGK model. The effects of the non-Newtonian fluid power-law exponent, viscosity and interfacial tension on the generation of the droplet are studied. The final droplet size, droplet generation frequency, and detachment point of the droplet change with the power-law exponent. The results reveal that it is necessary to take into account the non-Newtonian rheology instead of simple Newtonian fluid assumption in numerical simulations. The present analysis also demonstrates that the lattice Boltzmann method is of potential to investigate the non-Newtonian droplet generation in multiphase flow.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Global-Science Press 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

[1]Thorsen, T., Roberts, R.W., Arnold, F.H., and Quake, S.R.. Dynamic pattern formation in a vesicle-generating microfluidic device. Phys. Rev. Lett., 86: 41634166, 2001.Google Scholar
[2]Menech, M.D., Garstecki, P., Jousse, F., and Stone, H.A.. Transition from squeezing to dripping in a microfluidic T-shaped junction. J. Fluid Mech., 595: 141161, 2008.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[3]Garstecki, P., Fuerstman, M.J., Stone, H.A., and Whitesides, G.M.. Formation of droplets and bubbles in a microfluidic T-junction – scaling and mechanism of break-up. Lab Chip, 6: 437446, 2006.Google Scholar
[4]Liu, H.H. and Zhang, Y.H.. Droplet formation in microfluidic cross-junctions. Phys. Fluids, 23: 082101, 2011.Google Scholar
[5]Tan, J., Xu, J.H., Li, S.W., and Luo, G.S.. Drop dispenser in a cross-junction microfluidic device: Scaling and mechanism of break-up. Chem. Eng. J., 136: 306311, 2008.Google Scholar
[6]van der Graaf, S., Nisisako, T., Schroen, C.G.P.H., van der Sman, R.G.M., and Boom, R.M.. Lattice Boltzmann simulations of droplet formation in a T-shaped microchannel. Langmuir, 22: 41444152, 2006.Google Scholar
[7]Liu, H.H. and Zhang, Y.H.. Droplet formation in a T-shaped microfluidic junction. J. Appl. Phys., 106: 034906, 2009.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[8]Wu, L., Tsutahara, M., Kim, L.S., and Ha, M.Y.. Three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann simulations of droplet formation in a cross-junction microchannel. Int. J. Multiphase Flow, 34: 852864, 2008.Google Scholar
[9]Sivasamy, J., Wong, T.N., Nguyen, N.T., and Kao, L.T.H.. An investigation on the mechanism of droplet formation in a microfluidic T-junction. Microfluid. Nanofluid., 11: 110, 2011.Google Scholar
[10]Qiu, D.M., Silva, L., Tonkovich, A.L., and Arora, R.. Micro-droplet formation in non-Newtonian fluid in a microchannel. Microfluid. Nanofluid., 8: 531548, 2010.Google Scholar
[11]Sang, L., Hong, Y.P, and Wang, F.J.. Investigation of viscosity effect on droplet formation in T-shaped microchannels by numerical and analytical methods. Microfluid. Nanofluid., 6: 621635, 2009.Google Scholar
[12]Tang, G.H., Ye, P.X, and Tao, W.Q.. Electroviscous effect on non-Newtonian fluid flow in microchannels. J. Non-Newton. Fluid Mech., 165: 435440, 2010.Google Scholar
[13]Li, Q., Luo, K.H, and Li, X.J.. Lattice Boltzmann modeling of multiphase flows at large density ratio with an improved pseudopotential model. Phys. Rev. E, 87: 053301, 2013.Google Scholar
[14]Boek, E.S., Chin, J., and Coveney, P.V.. Lattice Boltzmann simulation of the flow of non-Newtonian fluids in porous media. Int. J. Mod. Phys. B, 17: 99102, 2003.Google Scholar
[15]Tang, G.H.. Non-Newtonian flow in microporous structures under the electroviscous effect. J. Non-Newton. Fluid Mech., 166: 875881, 2011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[16]Swift, M.R., Orlandini, E., Osborn, W.R., and Yeomans, J.M.. Lattice Boltzmann simulations of liquid-gas and binary fluid systems. Phys. Rev. E, 54: 50415052, 1996.Google Scholar
[17]Li, Z.L., Kang, J.F., Park, J.H., and Suh, Y.K.. Numerical simulation of the droplet formation in a cross-junction microchannel using the lattice Boltzmann method. J. Mech. Sci. Tech., 21: 162173, 2007.Google Scholar
[18]Xu, A.G., Gonnella, G., and Lamura, A.. Phase separation of incompressible binary fluids with lattice Boltzmann methods. Phys. A, 331: 1022, 2004.Google Scholar
[19]Zhou, C.F., Yue, P.T., Feng, J.J., Ollivier-Gooch, C.F., and Hu, H.H.. 3D phase-field simulations of interfacial dynamics in Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids. J. Comput. Phys., 229: 498511, 2010.Google Scholar
[20]van der Sman, R.G.M.. Galilean invariant lattice Boltzmann scheme for natural convection on square and rectangular lattices. Phys. Rev. E, 74: 026705, 2006.Google Scholar
[21]Artoli, A.M., Hoekstra, A.G, and P.M.A. Sloot. Optimizing lattice Boltzmann simulations for unsteady flows. Comput. Fluids, 35: 227240, 2006.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[22]Lamura, A., Gonnella, G., and Yeomans, J.M.. A lattice Boltzmann model of ternary fluid mixtures. Europhys. Lett., 45: 314320, 1999.Google Scholar
[23]Zou, Q.S. and He, X.Y.. On pressure and velocity boundary conditions for the lattice Boltzmann BGK model, Phys. Fluids, 9: 15911598, 1997.Google Scholar
[24]Mohamad, A.A.. Lattice Boltzmann Method-Fundamentals and Engineering Applications with Computer Codes. New York: Springer, 2011.Google Scholar
[25]He, Y.L., Wang, Y., and Li, Q.. Lattice Boltzmann Method: Theory and Applications. Beijing: Science Press, 2009 (in Chinese).Google Scholar
[26]Yoshino, M., Hotta, Y., Hirozane, T., and Endo, M.. A numerical method for incompressible non-Newtonian fluid flows based on the lattice Boltzmann method. J. Non-Newton. Fluid Mech., 147: 6978, 2007.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[27]Christopher, G.F., Noharuddin, N.N., Taylor, J.A., and S.L. Anna. Experimental observations of the squeezing-to-dripping transition in T-shaped microfluidic junctions. Phys. Rev. E, 78: 036317, 2008.Google Scholar
[28]Nisisako, T., Torii, T., and Higuchi, T.. Droplet formation in a microchannel network. Lab Chip, 2: 2426, 2002.Google Scholar
[29]Zhang, Y.X. and Wang, L.Q.. Experimental investigation of bubble formation in a microfluidic T-Shaped junction. Nanoscale Microscale Thermophys. Eng., 13: 228242, 2009.Google Scholar