Abstract
Slug or plug flow is generally considered as major flow pattern in microchannels in gas-liquid two-phase flow. A new microchannel design has enabled experimental interfacial surface area density exceeding 10,000 m 2/m3 based on the two-phase volume in bubbly flow, and mass transfer coefficients exceeding 10sec-1. Numerical simulations as well as experiments are presented with the new microchannel design. The velocity components of secondary flow induced by specially designed angled microgrooves break the gas phase into small bubbles, where otherwise much larger gas pockets/slugs would dominate in flat or smooth wall microchannels. As such, mixing of the two phases and mass transfer are greatly enhanced as a results of increased interfacial surface area density and reduced average mass transfer distance. The Volume-Of-Fluid (VOF) method is used in the numerical computations for different surface feature patterns, gas and liquid flow rates, liquid viscosity and surface tension. In the experiments, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water are used as the two phase media. The two-phase superficial velocity in the channel is in the range 0.45-2.75 m/s. The results show that the two-phase flow in the microchannel with the angled microgrooves leads to enhanced mass transfer relative to the flat microchannel. Higher flow rates and higher liquid viscosity lead to smaller gas bubbles and in turn enhanced mixing. Opportunities for additional improvement exist with increasing flow rates and optimized processing conditions.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels, ICNMM2008 |
| Pages | 269-278 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Edition | PART A |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2008 |
| Event | 6th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels, ICNMM2008 - Darmstadt, Germany Duration: Jun 23 2008 → Jun 25 2008 |
Other
| Other | 6th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels, ICNMM2008 |
|---|---|
| Country | Germany |
| City | Darmstadt |
| Period | 6/23/08 → 6/25/08 |
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All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Process Chemistry and Technology
Cite this
}
Enhancing two-phase flow mixing and mass transfer in microchannel with surface features. / Qiu, Dongming; Tonkovich, Anna Lee; Fanelli, Maddalena; Fitzgerald, Sean; Marco, Jenn; Stevenson, Rick; Lamont, Mike; Burton, Christy; Lerou, Jan; Silva, Laura.
Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels, ICNMM2008. PART A. ed. 2008. p. 269-278.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution
TY - GEN
T1 - Enhancing two-phase flow mixing and mass transfer in microchannel with surface features
AU - Qiu, Dongming
AU - Tonkovich, Anna Lee
AU - Fanelli, Maddalena
AU - Fitzgerald, Sean
AU - Marco, Jenn
AU - Stevenson, Rick
AU - Lamont, Mike
AU - Burton, Christy
AU - Lerou, Jan
AU - Silva, Laura
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Slug or plug flow is generally considered as major flow pattern in microchannels in gas-liquid two-phase flow. A new microchannel design has enabled experimental interfacial surface area density exceeding 10,000 m 2/m3 based on the two-phase volume in bubbly flow, and mass transfer coefficients exceeding 10sec-1. Numerical simulations as well as experiments are presented with the new microchannel design. The velocity components of secondary flow induced by specially designed angled microgrooves break the gas phase into small bubbles, where otherwise much larger gas pockets/slugs would dominate in flat or smooth wall microchannels. As such, mixing of the two phases and mass transfer are greatly enhanced as a results of increased interfacial surface area density and reduced average mass transfer distance. The Volume-Of-Fluid (VOF) method is used in the numerical computations for different surface feature patterns, gas and liquid flow rates, liquid viscosity and surface tension. In the experiments, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water are used as the two phase media. The two-phase superficial velocity in the channel is in the range 0.45-2.75 m/s. The results show that the two-phase flow in the microchannel with the angled microgrooves leads to enhanced mass transfer relative to the flat microchannel. Higher flow rates and higher liquid viscosity lead to smaller gas bubbles and in turn enhanced mixing. Opportunities for additional improvement exist with increasing flow rates and optimized processing conditions.
AB - Slug or plug flow is generally considered as major flow pattern in microchannels in gas-liquid two-phase flow. A new microchannel design has enabled experimental interfacial surface area density exceeding 10,000 m 2/m3 based on the two-phase volume in bubbly flow, and mass transfer coefficients exceeding 10sec-1. Numerical simulations as well as experiments are presented with the new microchannel design. The velocity components of secondary flow induced by specially designed angled microgrooves break the gas phase into small bubbles, where otherwise much larger gas pockets/slugs would dominate in flat or smooth wall microchannels. As such, mixing of the two phases and mass transfer are greatly enhanced as a results of increased interfacial surface area density and reduced average mass transfer distance. The Volume-Of-Fluid (VOF) method is used in the numerical computations for different surface feature patterns, gas and liquid flow rates, liquid viscosity and surface tension. In the experiments, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and water are used as the two phase media. The two-phase superficial velocity in the channel is in the range 0.45-2.75 m/s. The results show that the two-phase flow in the microchannel with the angled microgrooves leads to enhanced mass transfer relative to the flat microchannel. Higher flow rates and higher liquid viscosity lead to smaller gas bubbles and in turn enhanced mixing. Opportunities for additional improvement exist with increasing flow rates and optimized processing conditions.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77952662800&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77952662800&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1115/ICNMM2008-62102
DO - 10.1115/ICNMM2008-62102
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:77952662800
SN - 0791848345
SN - 9780791848340
SP - 269
EP - 278
BT - Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels, and Minichannels, ICNMM2008
ER -