Analysis of flow and slip behavior of microgel solution inside microchannel. (14th December 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kim, Dongjae; Park, Jungwon; Nam, Jaewook
• Is Part Of: Chemical engineering science. Volume 245(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-12-14
• Subjects: Flow Visualization -- Microgel Solution -- Microchannel -- Velocimetry -- Slip Behavior; Chemical engineering -- Periodicals; Génie chimique -- Périodiques; Chemical engineering; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 660
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2021.116972
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-2509

Abstract

Highlights: The flow and slip behavior of the microgel solution inside the confined channel were investigated by combining experimental velocimetry and numerical computations. Flow visualization using the relative velocity and a new velocimetry method based on image processing were introduced. The Navier slip relation and power-law constitutive equation could be a reasonable candidate for describing the slip behavior in a continuum approach. The possibility of expressing the slip behavior using a universal relation regardless of the height of the channel was determined. Abstract: We conducted experiments and computations to investigate the flow of a microgel solution inside a microchannel. The model fluid was a 0.2 wt% Carbopol 941 microgel solution, which was injected into the microchannel with dimensions of 200 μm × 200 μm × 15 mm at a flow rate of 800 μL/h. We devised a new approach for visualizing the flow using the relative velocity, and used a new velocimetry method based on image processing to calculate the velocity profiles with reasonable accuracy. Our study focused on two aspects: 1) introducing a new velocimetry method based on image processing of flow visualizations, and 2) deducing a slip parameter by comparing the experiments and computations. Based on the model, we computationally explored various flow rates that could not be realized experimentally and investigated the slip behavior.