A numerical study on microbubble mixer

This text comprises a numerical study of the mixing performance on the micromixer, a device which actuates steady streaming by semi-cylindrical sessile bubble oscillations. The mixer's capability of producing chaotic mixing is confirmed and a numerical simulation that is in good agreement with the experiment is developed, which then leads to the exploration of three mixing schemes. At the beginning, we introduce the experimental configuration of our micromixer, as well as the general framework of computing the asymptotic solution which is later used in numerical simulations. With these fundamentals, we proceed to characterize the efficiency of our mixer, essentially a Hamiltonian dynamical system, using Poincare sections and the Finite-time Lyapunov exponent. These indicators provide evidence that by properly blinking between different streaming patterns, chaotic-like mixing can be created inside our mixer. The observation made from numerical results that the size of the region that is good for mixing is related to the blinking period is substantiated by a scaling argument. After showing that the micromixer is beneficial for mixing from the perspective of dynamical system theory, we then focus on real applications by developing passive scalar simulations that agree with experimental data well. Finally, the establishment of the simulation allows us to explore the efficiencies of three different schemes and to optimize their designs for better mixing.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2014

Author dc:creator

• Guo, Lin

Contributors dc:contributor

• Hilgenfeldt, Sascha

• Mixing
• Bubble streaming flow
• Dynamical system
• Passive scalar simulation
• Micromixer

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2014 Lin Guo

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/49359

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/49359