Generation of Droplets in Double T‐Shaped Microchannels with Necked Structures

• Published in: Chemical engineering & technology 2021-07, Vol.44 (7), p.1241-1250
• Main Authors: Zhang, Yaolong, Chen, Xueye, Han, Wenbo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aerospace engineering; Chemical engineering; Control stability; Droplets; Energy utilization; Microchannel structures; Microchannels; Microfluidic droplets; Microfluidics; Monodisperse droplets; Neck structure; Surface stability
• ISSN: 0930-7516; 1521-4125
• DOI: 10.1002/ceat.202000428

Microfluidic droplets are widely applied in various fields such as biomedicine, aerospace, energy utilization, and chemical engineering due to their advantages of large specific surface area, uniform size, stability, and easy control. The double T‐shaped microchannel has the characteristics of rapid preparation of microdroplets with controllable size and good uniformity. Through 3D numerical simulation, the influence of the constriction structure of the microchannel on the formation of droplets was studied qualitatively and quantitatively. Compared with ordinary double T‐shaped microchannels, the microchannels with a necked structure generate smaller droplets in diameter and faster generation frequency. Among the three structures of rectangular necking, inverted trapezoidal necking, and trapezoidal necking, the microchannel with the latter structure has the best performance, can produce monodisperse droplets of uniform size, and the period is stable. The formation law of droplets in the double T‐shaped microchannel with constricted structure was studied qualitatively and quantitatively by numerical simulation. The necking structure had a significant influence on the formation of droplets. Compared with ordinary double T‐shaped microchannels, the microchannels with necked structure generate smaller droplets in diameter and faster frequency.