This paper describes an investigation on the dynamic behavior of droplet formation in a microfluidic flow-focusing device (MFFD) under the effect of surfactant using a phase-field method and the Koterweg stress applied in Navier–Stokes equations. The effects of variously important parameters, such as capillary number (Ca0), water fraction (wf), the viscosity ratio (α), and particularly surfactant concentration (cb), were examined. Consequently, the numerical results match the experimental ones. Additionally, the droplet formation is significantly affected by the surfactant, and the droplet size decreases with increasing cb for the whole range of both wf and Ca0. Based on the extensive study, the phase diagrams with two main modes, namely, dropping and threading, are provided. A mountain shape of the dropping mode was found, and this mode can be extended for higher wf with the presence of surfactant. In particular, new generalized correlations as a function of wf, Ca0, and cb are first proposed for predicting quickly and effectively the droplet size. Furthermore, the droplet formation depends significantly on α. With the presence of surfactant, smaller size of the droplet forms and the threading mode occurs at very high α. The results obtained in this study are very useful for understanding the dynamic behavior of droplet formation in MFFDs, which can be used in potential applications such as biomedical and drug delivery systems.
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March 2022
Research Article|
March 24 2022
Generalized correlation for predicting the droplet size in a microfluidic flow-focusing device under the effect of surfactant
Minh Duc Nguyen (웬민득)
;
Minh Duc Nguyen (웬민득)
1
School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology
, No. 01, Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, Vietnam
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Khac Vu Tran (짠칵부)
;
Khac Vu Tran (짠칵부)
2
School of Chemical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology
, No. 01, Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, Vietnam
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Cu Trung Dang (당쿠쭝)
;
Cu Trung Dang (당쿠쭝)
2
School of Chemical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology
, No. 01, Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, Vietnam
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Gyu Man Kim (김규만);
Gyu Man Kim (김규만)
3
School of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University
, Daegu, South Korea
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Trung Dung Dang (당중덩)
;
Trung Dung Dang (당중덩)
a)
2
School of Chemical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology
, No. 01, Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, Vietnam
a)Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: dung.dangtrung@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-868-0122. Fax: +84 43-868-0070; duc.tahong@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-869-2510. Fax: +84 43-869-2510; and long.ngoich@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-869-2984. Fax: +84 43-868-4945
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Hong Duc Ta (다홍득)
;
Hong Duc Ta (다홍득)
a)
2
School of Chemical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology
, No. 01, Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, Vietnam
a)Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: dung.dangtrung@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-868-0122. Fax: +84 43-868-0070; duc.tahong@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-869-2510. Fax: +84 43-869-2510; and long.ngoich@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-869-2984. Fax: +84 43-868-4945
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Ich Long Ngo (호익롱)
Ich Long Ngo (호익롱)
a)
1
School of Mechanical Engineering, Hanoi University of Science and Technology
, No. 01, Dai Co Viet, Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi, Vietnam
a)Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: dung.dangtrung@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-868-0122. Fax: +84 43-868-0070; duc.tahong@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-869-2510. Fax: +84 43-869-2510; and long.ngoich@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-869-2984. Fax: +84 43-868-4945
Search for other works by this author on:
a)Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed: dung.dangtrung@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-868-0122. Fax: +84 43-868-0070; duc.tahong@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-869-2510. Fax: +84 43-869-2510; and long.ngoich@hust.edu.vn. Tel.: +84 43-869-2984. Fax: +84 43-868-4945
Physics of Fluids 34, 032014 (2022)
Article history
Received:
January 10 2022
Accepted:
March 07 2022
Citation
Minh Duc Nguyen, Khac Vu Tran, Cu Trung Dang, Gyu Man Kim, Trung Dung Dang, Hong Duc Ta, Ich Long Ngo; Generalized correlation for predicting the droplet size in a microfluidic flow-focusing device under the effect of surfactant. Physics of Fluids 1 March 2022; 34 (3): 032014. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0084872
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