Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 1804326 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Small |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 11 Jan 2019 |
Abstract
One of the basic operations in microfluidic systems for biological and chemical applications is the rapid mixing of different fluids. However, flow profiles in microfluidic systems are laminar, which means molecular diffusion is the only mixing effect. Therefore, mixing structures are crucial to enable more efficient mixing in shorter times. Since traditional microfabrication methods remain laborious and expensive, 3D printing has emerged as a potential alternative for the fabrication of microfluidic devices. In this work, five different passive micromixers known from literature are redesigned in comparable dimensions and manufactured using high-definition MultiJet 3D printing. Their mixing performance is evaluated experimentally, using sodium hydroxide and phenolphthalein solutions, and numerically via computational fluid dynamics. Both experimental and numerical analysis results show that HC and Tesla-like mixers achieve complete mixing after 0.99 s and 0.78 s, respectively, at the highest flow rate (Reynolds number (Re) = 37.04). In comparison, Caterpillar mixers exhibit a lower mixing rate with complete mixing after 1.46 s and 1.9 s. Furthermore, the HC mixer achieves very good mixing performances over all flow rates (Re = 3.7 to 37.04), while other mixers show improved mixing only at higher flow rates.
Keywords
- 3D printing, additive manufacturing, lab on a chip, microfluidics, micromixers
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
- Biotechnology
- Materials Science(all)
- Biomaterials
- Chemistry(all)
- Materials Science(all)
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In: Small, Vol. 15, No. 2, 1804326, 11.01.2019.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - 3D Printed Microfluidic Mixers
T2 - A Comparative Study on Mixing Unit Performances
AU - Enders, Anton
AU - Siller, Ina Gerhild
AU - Urmann, Katharina
AU - Hoffmann, Michael R.
AU - Bahnemann, Janina
N1 - Funding information: The authors acknowledge the financial support of the German Research Foundation (DFG) via the Emmy Noether Programme (346772917). Furthermore, the authors would like to thank Phil Oliver Thiel for his work as part of his bachelor’s thesis.
PY - 2019/1/11
Y1 - 2019/1/11
N2 - One of the basic operations in microfluidic systems for biological and chemical applications is the rapid mixing of different fluids. However, flow profiles in microfluidic systems are laminar, which means molecular diffusion is the only mixing effect. Therefore, mixing structures are crucial to enable more efficient mixing in shorter times. Since traditional microfabrication methods remain laborious and expensive, 3D printing has emerged as a potential alternative for the fabrication of microfluidic devices. In this work, five different passive micromixers known from literature are redesigned in comparable dimensions and manufactured using high-definition MultiJet 3D printing. Their mixing performance is evaluated experimentally, using sodium hydroxide and phenolphthalein solutions, and numerically via computational fluid dynamics. Both experimental and numerical analysis results show that HC and Tesla-like mixers achieve complete mixing after 0.99 s and 0.78 s, respectively, at the highest flow rate (Reynolds number (Re) = 37.04). In comparison, Caterpillar mixers exhibit a lower mixing rate with complete mixing after 1.46 s and 1.9 s. Furthermore, the HC mixer achieves very good mixing performances over all flow rates (Re = 3.7 to 37.04), while other mixers show improved mixing only at higher flow rates.
AB - One of the basic operations in microfluidic systems for biological and chemical applications is the rapid mixing of different fluids. However, flow profiles in microfluidic systems are laminar, which means molecular diffusion is the only mixing effect. Therefore, mixing structures are crucial to enable more efficient mixing in shorter times. Since traditional microfabrication methods remain laborious and expensive, 3D printing has emerged as a potential alternative for the fabrication of microfluidic devices. In this work, five different passive micromixers known from literature are redesigned in comparable dimensions and manufactured using high-definition MultiJet 3D printing. Their mixing performance is evaluated experimentally, using sodium hydroxide and phenolphthalein solutions, and numerically via computational fluid dynamics. Both experimental and numerical analysis results show that HC and Tesla-like mixers achieve complete mixing after 0.99 s and 0.78 s, respectively, at the highest flow rate (Reynolds number (Re) = 37.04). In comparison, Caterpillar mixers exhibit a lower mixing rate with complete mixing after 1.46 s and 1.9 s. Furthermore, the HC mixer achieves very good mixing performances over all flow rates (Re = 3.7 to 37.04), while other mixers show improved mixing only at higher flow rates.
KW - 3D printing
KW - additive manufacturing
KW - lab on a chip
KW - microfluidics
KW - micromixers
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85058224851&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/smll.201804326
DO - 10.1002/smll.201804326
M3 - Article
C2 - 30548194
AN - SCOPUS:85058224851
VL - 15
JO - Small
JF - Small
SN - 1613-6810
IS - 2
M1 - 1804326
ER -