Abstract
Breakup of non-uniform droplets in an asymmetric T junction consisting of an inlet channel and two different-size outlet channels has been investigated numerically. Also, an analytical approach in the limit of the lubrication approximation has been extended to provide some analytical relations to study the system and verify the numerical results. Parameters that are important in the performance of the system have been determined and discussed. Our results indicate that smaller droplets can be produced by increasing the capillary number. As the geometry becomes symmetric the pressure drop decreases. Our results also reveal that the breakup time and the pressure drop for this system are smaller than the previous suggested method for producing non-uniform droplets, i.e., a uniform size T junction with different-length outlet channels.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
A.M. Ganan-Calvo, Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 28 (1998)
A.M. Burns, B.N. Johnson, S.N. Brahmasandra, K. Handique, J.R. Webster, M. Krishnan, T.S. Sammarco, P.M. Man, D. Jones, D. Heldsinger, C.H. Mastrangelo, D.T. Burke, Science 282, 484 (1998)
T. Thorsen, R.W. Roberts, F.H. Arnold, S.R. Quake, Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 4163 (2001)
S. Sugiura, M. Nakajima, S. Iwamoto, M. Seki, Langmuir 17, 5562 (2001)
J. Tice, H. Song, A. Lyon, R. Ismagilov, Langmuir 19, 9127 (2003)
S.L. Anna, N. Bontoux, H.A. Stone, Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 364 (2003)
V. Cristini, Y. Tan, Lab Chip 4, 257 (2004)
D.R. Link, S.L. Anna, D.A. Weitz, H.A. Stone, Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 054503 (2004)
M. Prakash, N. Gershenfeld, Science 315, 832 (2007)
O. Sybulski, P. Garstevki, Lab Chip 10, 484 (2010)
R. Gupta, D.F. Fletcher, B.S. Haynes, Chem. Eng. Sci. 64, 2941 (2009)
Y. Yamasaki, M. Goto, A. Kariyasaki, S. Morooka, Y. Yamaguchi, M. Miyazaki, H. Maeda, Korean J. Chem. Eng. 26, 1759 (2009)
A.M. Leshansky, L.M. Pismen, Phys. Fluids 21, 023303 (2009)
F.B. Bretherton, J. Fluid Mech. 10, 166 (1961)
E. Um, S.G. Lee, J.K. Park, Appl. Phys. Lett. 97, 153703 (2010)
K.L. Lao, J.H. Wang, G.B. Lee, Microfluid Nanofluid 7, 709 (2009)
W. Li, E.W.K. Young, M. Seo, Z. Nie Z, P. Garstecki, C.A. Simmons, E. Kumacheva, Soft Matter 4, 258 (2008)
M.-C. Jullien, M.-J. Tsang Mui Ching, C. Cohen, L. Menetrier, P. Tabeling, Phys. Fluids 21, 072001 (2009)
S. Afkhami, A.M. Leshansky, Y. Renardy, Phys. Fluids 23, 022002 (2011)
B. Lafaurie, C. Nardone, R. Scardovelli, S. Zaleski, G. Zanetti, J. Comput. Phys. 113, 134 (1994)
J.U. Brackbill, D.B. Kothe, C. Zemach, J. Comp. Phys. 100, 335 (1992)
Y. Renardy, Rheol. Acta 46, 521 (2007)
W. Engl, M. Roche, A. Colin, P. Panizza, Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 208304 (2005)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bedram, A., Moosavi, A. Droplet breakup in an asymmetric microfluidic T junction. Eur. Phys. J. E 34, 78 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2011-11078-7
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2011-11078-7