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Experimental study of efficient mixing in a micro-fluidized bed

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Vladimir Zivkovic

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Abstract

Micro-fluidized beds represent a novel means of significantly enhancing mixing and mass and heat transfer under the low Reynolds number flows that dominate in microfluidic devices. This study experimentally evaluates the mixing performance of a micro-fluidized bed and the improvements it affords over the equivalent particle-free system. The dye dilution technique coupled with standard top-view image analysis was used to characterize the mixing in a 400 x 175 μm² polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) Y-microchannel. Overall, the micro-fluidized bed provided a mixing effectiveness and energetic efficiency of mixing that were up to three times greater than those of a particle-free channel of the same dimensions. The mixing performance is strongly affected by specific power input and bed voidage. The optimal operating voidage, which corresponds to the energetic efficiency of mixing being maximal, is around 0.77 for the smallest particle-to-channel size ratio considered here 0.121, and appears to increase beyond this with size ratio.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Zivkovic V, Ridge N, Biggs MJ

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Applied Thermal Engineering

Year: 2017

Volume: 127

Pages: 1642-1649

Print publication date: 25/12/2017

Online publication date: 01/09/2017

Acceptance date: 25/08/2017

Date deposited: 30/08/2017

ISSN (print): 1359-4311

ISSN (electronic): 1873-5606

Publisher: Elsevier

URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2017.08.144

DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2017.08.144

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