Stability Analysis and Network Design of Evaporative Micro-Channels

Author(s):  
Hee Joon Lee ◽  
Shi-Chune Yao

During the operation of evaporative micro-channels, flow instability could be encountered. This phenomenon usually occurs when the Bond number of the fluid in the micro-channels is less than unity, so that a growing bubble is severely squeezed in the narrow channel and expands towards both upstream and downstream simultaneously. To reduce the flow instability, installation of an inlet orifice at the upstream, or making the micro-channel expanding at the downstream are found to be effective. An instability model for micro-channels was established, which takes into account the effects of both the inlet orifice and the channel expansion. Experiments of evaporating water micro system of 48 parallel micro-channels with 353 μm hydraulic diameter were conducted. The instability criterion of evaporative micro-channels with the effects of inlet orifice and expanding channel area are validated. Furthermore, to assist the general design of complex micro-channel network systems, a computational scheme is developed.

Author(s):  
Hee Joon Lee ◽  
Dongyao Liu ◽  
Shi-Chune Yao

Experiments were conducted on evaporative micro-channel systems of water, containing 48 parallel channels of 353 μm hydraulic diameter. The general correlation of two-phase pressure drop for an initial design purpose of evaporative micro-channel systems reported in [1] has been validated. For the water boiling in micro-channels, flow instability was observed. The instability criterion, proposed by Kandlikar [2], is able to predict the water experimental results. However, further examination of his criterion revealed that it can not predict the results of Brutin and Tadrist’s data of n-pentane. This is because the Bond number of water is 0.01, but 0.33 for n-pentane. As a result, the growing bubble of n-pentane may not cover the whole length of the micro-channel. A general expression of the effective length of squeezed bubbles in micro-channel was established for fluids at a wide range of Bond number. Using this proposed effective length, the Brutin and Tadrist’s experimental instability data can also be predicted satisfactorily.


Micromachines ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiayan Tai ◽  
Yee Cheong Lam

Viscous liquid flow in micro-channels is typically laminar because of the low Reynolds number constraint. However, by introducing elasticity into the fluids, the flow behavior could change drastically to become turbulent; this elasticity can be realized by dissolving small quantities of polymer molecules into an aqueous solvent. Our recent investigation has directly visualized the extension and relaxation of these polymer molecules in an aqueous solution. This elastic-driven phenomenon is known as ‘elastic turbulence’. Hitherto, existing studies on elastic flow instability are mostly limited to single-stream flows, and a comprehensive statistical analysis of a multi-stream elastic turbulent micro-channel flow is needed to provide additional physical understanding. Here, we investigate the flow field characteristics of elastic turbulence in a 3-stream contraction-expansion micro-channel flow. By applying statistical analyses and flow visualization tools, we show that the flow field bares many similarities to that of inertia-driven turbulence. More interestingly, we observed regions with two different types of power-law dependence in the velocity power spectra at high frequencies. This is a typical characteristic of two-dimensional turbulence and has hitherto not been reported for elastic turbulent micro-channel flows.


Author(s):  
Hee Joon Lee ◽  
Dongyao Liu ◽  
Shi-Chune Yao ◽  
Y. Alyousef

Existing data base and correlations in literature on the micro-channel pressure drop and heat transfer are reviewed. None of the existing correlations can cover the wide range of working fluids, operational conditions and different microchannel dimensions. The importance of the Bond number, which relates the nominal bubble dimension or capillary parameter with the channel size, is revealed. Using the Bond number, improved correlations of pressure drop and heat transfer are established. The new correlations predict the existing data well over wide ranges of working fluids, operational conditions and dimensions of micro-channels. Furthermore, Bond number could be used as a criterion to classify a flow path as a micro-channel or conventional macro-channel.


Author(s):  
Hee Joon Lee ◽  
Shi-chune Yao

A network analysis was established to model the array of evaporative micro-channels with possible non-uniformity heating as well as branching of the channels. Iterative solution of the evaporative micro-channel network can be obtained using the Hardy-Cross method together with accurate two-phase head-loss correlations. Based on the experimental evidence, cross-cutting micro-channels reduce the uneven flow distribution in parallel micro-channels at non-uniform heating. Through this network analysis, it is also evident that cross-cutting grooves on parallel micro-channels are effective in reducing non-uniform heating effects and enhancing the uniform wall temperature distribution.


Author(s):  
Weilin Qu ◽  
Seok-Mann Yoon ◽  
Issam Mudawar

Knowledge of flow pattern and flow pattern transitions is essential to the development of reliable predictive tools for pressure drop and heat transfer in two-phase micro-channel heat sinks. In the present study, experiments were conducted with adiabatic nitrogen-water two-phase flow in a rectangular micro-channel having a 0.406 × 2.032 mm cross-section. Superficial velocities of nitrogen and water ranged from 0.08 to 81.92 m/s and 0.04 to 10.24 m/s, respectively. Flow patterns were first identified using high-speed video imaging, and still photos were then taken for representative patterns. Results reveal that the dominant flow patterns are slug and annular, with bubbly flow occurring only occasionally; stratified and churn flow were never observed. A flow pattern map was constructed and compared with previous maps and predictions of flow pattern transition models. Annual flow is identified as the dominant flow pattern for conditions relevant to two-phase micro-channel heat sinks, and forms the basis for development of a theoretical model for both pressure drop and heat transfer in micro-channels. Features unique to two-phase micro-channel flow, such as laminar liquid and gas flows, smooth liquid-gas interface, and strong entrainment and deposition effects are incorporated into the model. The model shows good agreement with experimental data for water-cooled heat sinks.


2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renqiang Xiong ◽  
J. N. Chung

Flow structures and pressure drops were investigated in rectangular serpentine micro-channels with miter bends which had hydraulic diameters of 0.209mm, 0.395mm and 0.549mm respectively. To evaluate the bend effect, the additional pressure drop due to the miter bend must be obtained. Three groups of micro-channels were fabricated to remove the inlet and outlet losses. A validated micro-particle image velocimetry (μPIV) system was used to achieve the flow structure in a serpentine micro-channel with hydraulic diameter of 0.173mm. The experimental results show the vortices around the outer and inner walls of the bend do not form when Re<100. Those vortices appear and continue to develop with the Re number when Re> 100-300, and the shape and size of the vortices almost remain constant when Re>1000. The bend loss coefficient Kb was observed to be related with the Re number when Re<100, with the Re number and channel size when Re>100. It almost keeps constant and changes in the range of ± 10% When Re is larger than some value in 1300-1500. And a size effect on Kb was also observed.


2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jih-Hsing Tu ◽  
Fangang Tseng ◽  
Ching-Chang Chieng

Abstract Present study investigates the roughness effect on laminar gas flow for microchannels ranging from 40 to 600 μm with various roughness heights (40–82 nm) by systematical experiments. The micro-channels are manufactured by micro-machining technology and KOH anisotropic etching is employed to achieve various roughness patterns. Experimental results shows that higher product levels of Reynolds number (Reh) and friction factor (f) are obtained for microchannels of larger size and smaller relative roughness and friction factor f approaches to laminar flow theory value f0 for very smooth channel but the ratio of (f/f0) decreases as the surface roughness increases.


Author(s):  
Brian J. Daniels ◽  
James A. Liburdy ◽  
Deborah V. Pence

Experimental results of adiabatic boiling of water flowing through a fractal-like branching microchannel network are presented and compared to numerical simulations for identical flow conditions. The fractal-like branching channel network had channel length and width ratios between adjacent branching levels of 0.7071, a total flow length of 18 mm, a channel height of 150 μm and a terminal channel width of 100 μm. The channels were DRIE etched into a silicon disk and pyrex was anodically bonded to the silicon to form the channel top and allowed visualization of the flow within the channels. The water flowed from the center of the disk where the inlet was laser cut through the silicon to the periphery of the disc. The flow rates ranged from 100 to 225 g/min and the inlet subcooling levels varied from 0.5 to 6 °C. Pressure drop across the channel as well as void fraction in each branching level were measured for each of the test conditions. The measured pressure drop ranged from 20 to 90 kPa, and the measured void fraction ranged from 0.3 to 0.9. The pressure drop results agree well with the numerical predictions. The measured void fraction results followed the same trends as the numerical results.


Author(s):  
Gh. Reza Salehi ◽  
Masoud JalaliBidgoli ◽  
Saeed ZeinaliDanaloo ◽  
Kazem HasanZadeh

In this paper, distributions of velocity and flow rate of micro channels are studied. Moreover, the parameters which influence them were also discussed, as well as their effects and relevant curves. In the Analytical study, the governing equation in specific micro flows is obtained. This equation is specifically investigated for slip flow in two micro parallel plates (micro channel).At the next step numerical representation shows the influence of the related parameters in micro channel flow such as Knudsen number, thermal -accommodation coefficient, mass flow rate ratio and pressure ratio (outlet to inlet), Tangential Momentum Accommodation Coefficient with relative curves, and flow rate distribution in slippery state to no slip state has been compared as the another part of this solution. Finally, the results of investigating parameters and dimensionless numbers in micro channels are reviewed.


2006 ◽  
Vol 326-328 ◽  
pp. 265-268
Author(s):  
Taek Joon Son ◽  
Young Shin Lee

The strength of micro heat exchanger under pressure is studied in this paper. Micro heat exchanger is made with brazing technology. It is constructed of stainless steel thin plates with micro channels and in/out port for fluid flow. Micro channels in thin plates are formed by etching and all parts including thin plates are joined by brazing. The study on the strength under pressure is performed by structural analysis. For structural analysis, one layer of micro heat exchanger body is considered. It is composed of thin plate with micro channel and brazing filler which is used to join thin plates. This paper shows the tendency of stress behavior and gives design guideline of micro heat exchanger.


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