A double T-type microchannel consisting of two T-junctions is used as the base unit of tree-like microchannels. Studying the breakup process and behavior of bubbles in T-type microchannels can help enhance the capability of microfluidic systems and microchannel heat exchangers. In this study, the bubble breakup process in a double T-type microchannel was simulated using a volume of fluid model via numerical simulation. The simulation results show a total of five regimes of bubble breakup with capillary numbers between 0.001 and 0.008 and dimensionless bubble lengths between 1 and 9, which are the non-breakup, “tunnel” breakup, obstructed breakup, merging symmetric breakup, and merging non-breakup. These five breakup regimes were studied in detail. At a high velocity of the gas phase and with a small size of the generated bubble, the bubble does not break up. Symmetric breakup regimes can be divided into two regimes: tunnel breakup and obstructed breakup. Shear force plays a significant role in the tunnel breakup regime. The obstructed breakup regime is mainly caused by the increase in pressure at the T-junction, which elongates and makes the bubble break up. In the merging symmetrical breakup regime, the bubble has a tunnel breakup process at the beginning. The shear force is small and cannot break up the bubble. The merged bubble breaks up under the action of the obstructed breakup regime. Bubbles are in the merging non-breakup regime mainly because they are too long to break up.
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January 2023
Research Article|
January 09 2023
The bubble breakup process and behavior in T-type microchannels
Zheng Zhang (张政);
Zheng Zhang (张政)
(Conceptualization, Data curation, Methodology, Writing – original draft)
1
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University
, Jinan, 250061 Shandong, People's Republic of China
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Yi Zhang (张毅)
;
Yi Zhang (张毅)
(Software, Supervision)
1
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University
, Jinan, 250061 Shandong, People's Republic of China
2
Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University of Technology
, Zibo, 255000 Shandong, People's Republic of China
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Guanmin Zhang (张冠敏)
;
Guanmin Zhang (张冠敏)
a)
(Funding acquisition, Project administration, Validation)
1
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University
, Jinan, 250061 Shandong, People's Republic of China
a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
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Maocheng Tian (田茂诚)
Maocheng Tian (田茂诚)
(Supervision, Validation)
1
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University
, Jinan, 250061 Shandong, People's Republic of China
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a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: [email protected]
Physics of Fluids 35, 013319 (2023)
Article history
Received:
October 24 2022
Accepted:
December 06 2022
Citation
Zheng Zhang, Yi Zhang, Guanmin Zhang, Maocheng Tian; The bubble breakup process and behavior in T-type microchannels. Physics of Fluids 1 January 2023; 35 (1): 013319. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0131748
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Alan Jeffrey Giacomin
On Oreology, the fracture and flow of “milk's favorite cookie®”
Crystal E. Owens, Max R. Fan (范瑞), et al.
Chinese Academy of Science Journal Ranking System (2015–2023)
Cruz Y. Li (李雨桐), 李雨桐, et al.
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