Instabilities of Immiscible Liquid-Liquid Two-Phase Laminar Flow in a Micro Channel
Special Symposium - EPIC-1: European Process Intensification Conference - 1
EPIC-1: Intensified Hydrodynamics & Structured Environments (IHSE-4)
Keywords: Liquid-Liquid Two Phase Flow, Micro Channel, Instability, Microfluidics, Immiscible Flow
Title: Instabilities of Immiscible Liquid-Liquid Two-Phase Laminar Flow in a Micro Channel
Authors: T. Matsumoto1, T. Shikata2, T. Takigawa3, N. Ohmura4
Affiliation and Address:
1 Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Kobe University,
1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan e-mail: taichi1210@hotmail.com
2 Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kobe University,
1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan e-mail: 061t529n@stu.kobe-u.ac.jp
3 Process Research Laboratories, Kashima Plant, Eisai Co. Ltd.,
22-Sunayama, Hasaki-machi, Kashima, Ibaraki 314-0255, Japan e-mail: t-takigawa@hhc.eisai.co.jp
4 Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Kobe University,
1-1 Rokkodai, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan e-mail: ohmura@kobe-u.ac.jp
Abstract
A micro chemical chip is one of the powerful tools for process intensification technology because of its favorable characteristics such as reduction of regents, high throughput, energy and material saving, and so on. The immiscible liquid-liquid multi phase flow such as aqueous-organic phase flow in a micro channel can be used for solvent extraction, interfacial chemical reaction, and drop formation etc. In order to intensify processes using liquid-liquid micro multiphase laminar flow, it is necessary to establish a precise control method. The present study investigated instabilities of immiscible liquid-liquid two-phase laminar flow in a micro channel. T-channel of glass fabricated by micro precision machining was used. The channel is 0.325 mm in width and 0.115 mm in depth. An aqueous solution of glycerol or distilled water and was used as aqueous phase, while styrene monomer or corn oil was used as organic phase. The two liquids were separately fed into two inlet branch channels by micro syringe pomp. In order to observe the interface between two liquids, the aqueous phase is colored by florescence green dye. The interface between two liquids after T-junction is enlarged by a microscope system and the visual data are also taken by the system. Stratified wavy flow pattern of two liquids was widely observed in this work. Stationary waves were superimposed on the interface in this flow pattern. As the ratio of two flow rates approached to 1, the amplitude of the waves became small. When using pure distilled water as the aqueous phase and corn oil as the organic phase, water droplets in corn oil were generated in the main channel in the case of low flow rates of water. Under a certain condition using an aqueous solution of glycerol and styrene monomer, an annular flow of the aqueous solution was observed. The aqueous phase flowed as a film around the channel wall and a core of the organic phase formed in the middle of channel. In this flow pattern, the aqueous phase needs to be relatively high viscosity.
See the full pdf manuscript of the abstract.
Presented Thursday 20, 11:20 to 11:40, in session EPIC-1: Intensified Hydrodynamics & Structured Environments (IHSE-4).
