Viscosity effect on the flow patterns in T-type micromixers

Abstract

Flow patterns and mixing of liquids with different viscosities in T-type micromixers are numerically investigated on the Reynolds number range from 1 to 250. The viscosity ratio of the mixing media varied from 1 to 2; its effect on the flow structure and the mixing is studied. The dependences of the mixing efficiency and the pressure difference in the channel on the viscosity ratio and the Reynolds number are obtained. It is shown that the viscosity ratio has a considerable effect on the flow structure before and after transition from the symmetric to the asymmetric flow pattern. The self-similar behavior of the asymmetric flow pattern is established.