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Electric-field-controlled Droplet Sorting in a Bifurcating Channel

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Abstract

To study the electric-field-controlled droplet sorting in the microfluidic chip, an unsteady numerical model of droplet sorting controlled by a nonuniform electric field is developed based on the coupled phase-field method and electric current model. The results indicate that both the shape and trajectory of the droplet are dependent on the permittivity ratio (S = εo/εi) and electric conductivity ratio (R = κi/κo) between the fluids when flowing through the electric field. The behaviors of the droplet are summarized in a sorting regime diagram according to the droplet size (r*) and electric Euler number (Eue). In the case of RS < 1, a small droplet (r* ≤ 0.25) flowing through the horizontal channel is observed under the condition of weak electric intensity (Eue ≥ 1 × 10–4). As Eue decreases, the sorting regime of the droplet transits to downward deflection. Pinning on the grounded channel wall occurs when Eue ≤ 7.21 × 10–5. Eventually, droplet breakup is triggered (r* ≥ 0.3, Eue ≤ 1.17 × 10–4). In the case of RS > 1, droplets are observed flowing through the horizontal channel in the sorting process of both small and large droplets at large Eue (r* ≤ 0.25, Eue ≥ 4.9 × 10–4 and r* ≥ 0.3, Eue ≥ 2.44 × 10–4). A strong electric intensity (Eue ≤ 2.44 × 10–4) contributes to the breakup regime of large droplets (r* ≥ 0.3).

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Data available on request from the authors.

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Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the supports provided by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52036006 and 51725602).

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Author notes

  1. Guanqiu Hao and Lei Li are contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Micro and Nano Heat Fluid Flow Technology and Energy Application, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, 215009, People’s Republic of China

    Guanqiu Hao, Liangyu Wu & Feng Yao

  2. Key Laboratory of Energy Thermal Conversion and Control of Ministry of Education, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People’s Republic of China

    Guanqiu Hao & Lei Li

  3. College of Electrical, Energy and Power Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225127, People’s Republic of China

    Liangyu Wu

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  1. Guanqiu Hao
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  2. Lei Li
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Correspondence to Liangyu Wu.

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Hao, G., Li, L., Wu, L. et al. Electric-field-controlled Droplet Sorting in a Bifurcating Channel. Microgravity Sci. Technol. 34, 25 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12217-022-09944-5

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