0
Journal of Fluids Engineering | Volume 131 | Issue 4 | Research Paper
Research Papers: Fundamental Issues and Canonical Flows

Pressure Drop in Rectangular Microchannels as Compared With Theory Based on Arbitrary Cross Section

[+] Author and Article Information
Mohsen Akbari1

Mechatronic System Engineering, School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, V3T 0A3, Canadamaa59@sfu.ca

David Sinton

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2, Canada

Majid Bahrami

Mechatronic System Engineering, School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, Surrey, BC, V3T 0A3, Canada

1

Corresponding author.

J. Fluids Eng 131(4), 041202 (Mar 06, 2009) (8 pages) doi:10.1115/1.3077143 History: Received June 11, 2008; Revised December 05, 2008; Published March 06, 2009
Article
References
Figures
Tables
Citing Articles

Pressure driven liquid flow through rectangular cross-section microchannels is investigated experimentally. Polydimethylsiloxane microchannels are fabricated using soft lithography. Pressure drop data are used to characterize the friction factor over a range of aspect ratios from 0.13 to 0.76 and Reynolds number from 1 to 35 with distilled water as working fluid. Results are compared with the general model developed to predict the fully developed pressure drop in arbitrary cross-section microchannels. Using available theories, effects of different losses, such as developing region, minor flow contraction and expansion, and streaming potential on the measured pressure drop, are investigated. Experimental results compare well with the theory based on the presure drop in channels of arbitrary cross section.
FIGURES IN THIS ARTICLE
<>
Copyright © 2009 by American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Your Session has timed out. Please sign back in to continue.

References

1
Bahrami, M., Yovanovich, M. M., and Culham, J. R., 2006, “Pressure Drop of Laminar, Fully Developed Flow in Microchannels of Arbitrary Cross-Section,” ASME J. Fluids Eng.  [CrossRef], 128 , pp. 1036–1044.
2
Whitesides, G. M., 2006, “The Origins and the Future of Microfluidics,” Nature (London)  [CrossRef], 442 , pp. 368–372.
3
Grushka, E., McCormick, R. M., and Kirkland, J. J., 1989, “Effect of Temperature Gradients on the Efficiency of Capillary Zone Electrophoresis Separations,” Anal. Chem.  [CrossRef], 61 , pp. 241–246.
4
Fletcher, P. D. I., Haswell, S. J., Pombo-Villar, E., Warrington, B. H., Watts, P., Wong, S., and Zhang, X., 2002, “Micro Reactors: Principles and Applications in Synthesis,” Tetrahedron  [CrossRef], 58 , pp. 4735–4757.
5
DeWitt, S., 1999, “Microreactors for Chemical Synthesis,” Curr. Opin. Chem. Biol.  [CrossRef], 3 (3), pp. 350–356.
6
Miyake, R., Lammerink, S. J., Elwenspoek, M., and Fluitman, H. J., 1993, “Micro Mixer With Fast Diffusion,” MEMS '93, Fort Lauderdale, FL, pp. 248–253.
7
Weigl, B. H., Bardell, R. L., and Cabrera, C. R., 2003, “Lab-on-a-Chip for Drug Development,” Adv. Drug Delivery Rev.  [CrossRef], 55 , pp. 349–377.
8
Becker, H., and Locascio, L. E., 2002, “Polymer Microfluidic Devices,” Talanta  [CrossRef], 56 , pp. 267–287.
9
Chovan, T., and Guttman, A., 2002, “Microfabricated Devices in Biotechnology and Biochemical Processing,” Trends Biotechnol.  [CrossRef], 20 (3), pp. 116–122.
10
Ehrfeld, W., 2003, “Electrochemistry and Microsystems,” Electrochim. Acta  [CrossRef], 48 , pp. 2857–2868.
11
Bayraktar, T., and Pidugu, S. B., 2006, “Characterization of Liquid Flows in Microfluidic Systems,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer  [CrossRef], 49 , pp. 815–824.
12
Peng, X. F., Peterson, G. P., and Wang, B. X., 1994, “Frictional Flow Characteristics of Water Flowing Through Rectangular Microchannels,” Exp. Heat Transfer, 7 , pp. 249–64.
13
Xu, B., Ooi, K. T., and Wong, N. T., 2000, “Experimental Investigation of Flow Friction for Liquid Flow in Microchannels,” Int. Commun. Heat Mass Transfer  [CrossRef], 27 , pp. 1165–1176.
14
Ren, C. L., and Li, D., 2004, “Electroviscous Effects on Pressure-Driven Flow of Dilute Electrolyte Solutions in Small Microchannels,” J. Colloid Interface Sci.  [CrossRef], 274 , pp. 319–330.
15
Judy, J., Maynes, D., and Webb, B. W., 2002, “Characterization of Frictional Pressure Drop for Liquid Flows Through Microchannels,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer  [CrossRef], 45 , pp. 3477–3489.
16
Tuckerman, D. B., and Peace, R. F. W., 1981, “High-Performance Heat Sinking for VLSI,” IEEE Electron Device Lett.  [CrossRef], 2 , pp. 126–129.
17
Mala, G. M., and Li, D., 1999, “Flow Characteristics of Water in Microtubes,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 20 , pp. 142–148.
18
Pfhaler, J., Harley, J., and Bau, H., 1990, “Liquid Transport in Micron and Submicron Channels,” Sens. Actuators, A, A21–A23 , pp. 431–434.
19
Pfhaler, J., Harley, J., Bau, H., and Zemel, J. N., 1991, “Gas and Liquid Flow in Small Channels Micromechanical Sensors, Actuators, and Systems,” ASME Dyn. Syst. Control Div., 32 , pp. 49–60.
20
Urbanek, W., Zemel, J. N., and Bau, H. H., 1993, “An Investigation of the Temperature Dependence of Poiseuille Numbers in Microchannel Flow,” J. Micromech. Microeng.  [CrossRef], 3 , pp. 206–208.
21
Qu, W., Mala, G. M., and Li, D., 2000, “Pressure-Driven Water Flows in trapezoidal Silicon Microchannels,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer  [CrossRef], 43 , pp. 3925–3936.
22
Papautsky, I., Brazzle, J., Ameel, T., and Frazier, A. B., 1999, “Laminar Fluid Behavior in Microchannels Using Micropolar Fluid Theory,” Sens. Actuators, A  [CrossRef], 73 , pp. 101–108.
23
Ren, C. L., and Li, D., 2005, “Improved Understanding of the Effect of Electrical Double Layer on Pressure-Driven Flow in Microchannels,” Anal. Chim. Acta  [CrossRef], 531 , pp. 15–23.
24
Weilin, Q., Mala, H. M., and Li, D., 2000, “Pressure-Driven Water Flows in Trapezoidal Silicon Microchannels,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer  [CrossRef], 43 , pp. 353–364.
25
Guo, Z., and Li, Z., 2003, “Size Effect on Microscale Single-Phase Flow and Heat Transfer,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer  [CrossRef], 46 , pp. 149–159.
26
Morini, G. L., 2005, “Viscous Heating in Liquid Flows in Microchannels,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer  [CrossRef], 48 , pp. 3637–3647.
27
Bahrami, M., Yovanovich, M. M., and Culham, J. R., 2006, “Pressure Drop of Laminar, Fully Developed Flow in Rough Microtubes,” ASME J. Fluids Eng.  [CrossRef], 128 , pp. 632–637.
28
Jiang, X. N., Zhou, Z. Y., Huang, X. Y., and Liu, C. Y., 1997, “Laminar Flow Through Microchannels Used for Microscale Cooling Systems,” IEEE/CPMT Electronic Packaging Technology Conference , pp. 119–122.
29
Baviere, R., Ayela, F., Le Person, S., and Favre-Marinet, M., 2005, “Experimental Characterization of Water Flow Through Smooth Rectangular Microchannels,” Phys. Fluids  [CrossRef], 17 , p. 098105.
30
Bucci, A., Celata, G. P., Cumo, M., Serra, E., and Zummo, G., 2003, “Water Single-Phase Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Capillary Tubes,” International Conference on Microchannels and Minichannels , Vol. 1 , pp. 319–326, ASME Paper No. 1037.
31
Wu, H. Y., and Cheng, P., 2003, “Friction Factors in Smooth Trapezoidal Silicon Microchannels With Different Aspect Ratios,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer  [CrossRef], 46 , pp. 2519–2525.
32
Liu, D., and Garimella, S., 2004, “Investigation of Liquid Flow in Microchannels,” J. Thermophys. Heat Transfer, 18 , pp. 65–72.
33
Gao, P., Le Person, S., and Favre-Marinet, M., 2002, “Scale Effects on Hydrodynamics and Heat Transfer in Two-Dimensional Mini and Microchannels,” Int. J. Therm. Sci.  [CrossRef], 41 , pp. 1017–1027.
34
Squires, T. M., and Quake, S. R., 2005, “Micro Fluidics: Fluid Physics at Nanoliter Scale,” Rev. Mod. Phys.  [CrossRef], 77 , pp. 977–1026.
35
White, F. M., 1974, "Viscous Fluid Flow", McGraw-Hill, New York, Chap. 3.
36
Bahrami, M., Yovanovich, M. M., and Culham, J. R., 2007, “A Novel Solution for Pressure Drop in Singly Connected Microchannels,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 50 , pp. 2492–2502.
37
Timoshenko, S. P., and Goodier, J. N., 1970, "Theory of Elasticity", McGraw-Hill, New York, Chap. 10.
38
Yovanovich, M. M., 1974, “A General Expression for Predicting Conduction Shape Factors,” "AIAA Prog. in Astro. and Aeronautics: Thermophysics and Space Craft Control", Vol. 35 , R.G.Hering, ed., MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, pp. 265–291.
39
Muzychka, Y. S., and Yovanovich, M. M., 2002, “Laminar Flow Friction and Heat Transfer in Non-Circular Ducts and Channels Part 1: Hydrodynamic Problem,” Proceedings of Compact Heat Exchangers, A Festschrift on the 60th Birthday of Ramesh K. Shah , Grenoble, France, pp. 123–130.
40
Shah, R. K., and London, A. L., 1978, "Laminar Flow Forced Convection in Ducts, Supplement to Advances in Heat Transfer", Academic, New York.
41
Erickson, D., Sinton, D., and Li, D., 2003, “Joule Heating and Heat Transfer in Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Microfluidic Systems,” Lab Chip  [CrossRef], 3 , pp. 141–149.
42
McDonald, J. C., Duffy, D. C., Anderson, J. R., Chiu, D. T., Wu, H., Schueller, O. J. A., and Whiteside, G., 2000, “Fabrication of Microfluidic Systems in Poly(dimethylsiloxane),” Electrophoresis  [CrossRef], 21 , pp. 27–40.
43
Holman, J. P., 2001, "Experimental Methods for Engineering", 7th ed., McGraw-Hill, New York, Chap. 3.
44
Phillips, R. J., 1990, "Microchannel Heat Sinks, Advances in Thermal Modeling of Electronic Components and Systems", Hemisphere, New York, Chap. 3.
45
Sharp, K. V., Adrian, R. J., Santiago, J. G., and Molho, J. I., 2005, "Liquid Flows in Microchannels, MEMS Hand Book: Introduction and Fundamentals", 2nd ed., Taylor & Francis, New York.
46
Kandlikar, S. G., Garimella, S., Li, D., Colin, S., and King, M. R., 2006, "Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow in Minichannels and Microchannels", Elsevier, Oxford.
47
Steinke, M. E., and Kandlikar, S. G., 2006, “Single-Phase Liquid Friction Factors in Microchannels,” Int. J. Therm. Sci., 45 , pp. 1073–1083.
48
Kays, W. M., and London, A. L., 1984, "Compact Heat Exchangers", McGraw-Hill, New York.
49
Probstein, R. F., 1994, "Physicochemical Hydrodynamics", 2nd ed., Wiley, New York.
50
Masliyah, J. H., and Bhattacharjee, S., 2006, "Electrokinetic and Colloid Transport Phenomena", Wiley, Englewood Cliffs, NJ.
51
Lide, D., and Kehiaian, H. V., 1994, "CRC Handbook of Thermophysical and Thermochemical Data", 1st ed., CRC Press, Florida.
52
Lee, J. S. H., Hu, Y., and Li, D., 2005, “Electrokinetic Concentration Gradient Generation Using a Converging-Diverging Microchannel,” Anal. Chim. Acta, 543 , pp. 99–108.
53
Holden, M. A., Kumar, S., Beskok, A., and Cremer, P. S., 2003, “Microfluidic Diffusion Diluter: Bulging of PDMS Microchannels Under Pressure Driven Flow,” J. Micromech. Microeng.  [CrossRef], 13 , pp. 412–418.
54
Gervais, T., El-Ali, J., Gunther, A., and Jensen, K., 2006, “Flow-Induced Deformation of Shallow Microfluidic Channels,” Lab Chip, 6 , pp. 500–507.

Figures

Grahic Jump Location
+Schematic of the soft lithography technique
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Schematic of the soft lithography technique
Figure 1

Schematic of the soft lithography technique

Grahic Jump Location
+Schematic of the test section
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Schematic of the test section
Figure 2

Schematic of the test section

Grahic Jump Location
+Channel pressure drop as a function of flow rate. Lines show the theoretical prediction of pressure drop using Eq. 3 and symbols show the experimental data.
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Channel pressure drop as a function of flow rate. Lines show the theoretical prediction of pressure drop using Eq. 3 and symbols show the experimental data.
Figure 3

Channel pressure drop as a function of flow rate. Lines show the theoretical prediction of pressure drop using Eq. 3 and symbols show the experimental data.

Grahic Jump Location
+Variation in friction factor with Reynolds number for sample no. PPR-0.13
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Variation in friction factor with Reynolds number for sample no. PPR-0.13
Figure 4

Variation in friction factor with Reynolds number for sample no. PPR-0.13

Grahic Jump Location
+Variation in friction factor with Reynolds number for sample no. PPR-0.76
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Variation in friction factor with Reynolds number for sample no. PPR-0.76
Figure 5

Variation in friction factor with Reynolds number for sample no. PPR-0.76

Grahic Jump Location
+Variation in Poiseuille number, f ReA, with Reynolds number
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Variation in Poiseuille number, f ReA, with Reynolds number
Figure 6

Variation in Poiseuille number, f ReA, with Reynolds number

Grahic Jump Location
+Comparison of experimental data of present work with analytical model of Bahrami (1)
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Comparison of experimental data of present work with analytical model of Bahrami (1)
Figure 7

Comparison of experimental data of present work with analytical model of Bahrami (1)

Grahic Jump Location
+Variation in Poiseuille number, f ReA, with Reynolds number
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Variation in Poiseuille number, f ReA, with Reynolds number
Figure 8

Variation in Poiseuille number, f ReA, with Reynolds number

Grahic Jump Location
+Comparison between experimental data of present study and previous works
View Large  |  Save Figure  |  Download Slide (.ppt)
Comparison between experimental data of present study and previous works
Figure 9

Comparison between experimental data of present study and previous works

Tables

Errata

Some tools below are only available to our subscribers or users with an online account.

Related Content

Customize your page view by dragging and repositioning the boxes below.

Topic Collections

Sorry! You do not have access to this content. For assistance or to subscribe, please contact us:

  • TELEPHONE: 1-800-843-2763 (Toll-free in the USA)
  • EMAIL: asmedigitalcollection@asme.org
This site uses cookies. By continuing to use our website, you are agreeing to our privacy policy. | Accept
Sign In