TY - GEN
T1 - Theoretical and experimental study of microchannel blockage phenomena
AU - Yamaguchi, Eiichiro
AU - Adrian, Ronald J.
PY - 2003/12/1
Y1 - 2003/12/1
N2 - Microchannel blockage phenomena by hard, spherical particles have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The study was performed over a range of particle-to-channel diameter ratios of 0.14 < R < 0.65. Two mechanisms have been investigated: orthokinetic flocculation and hydrokinetic arching. Arching appears to be the main mechanism for large, hard particles. In the absence of Brownian motion and inter-particle repulsive forces, other than simple Hertzian contact force, the blockage phenomenon is described by three non-dimensional parameters, N, R and β. The mean total number of particles in the channel having length L is N. Ratio of a diameter of particle (d p) and a diameter of channel (D) is R. Blockage efficiency factor β is determined experimentally. The data shows that a critical value N c exists as a function of R. N > N c implies high likelihood of blockage; if N < N c, blockages were never observed. The critical number decreases dramatically with increasing R. Blockages can occur at surprisingly low values of the volume concentration (φ). The experimental results matches well with the theory for the combinations of straight glass capillary, 76<D<156μm, 100mm-length, and spherical polymer particle, 22>d p<48μm.
AB - Microchannel blockage phenomena by hard, spherical particles have been investigated experimentally and theoretically. The study was performed over a range of particle-to-channel diameter ratios of 0.14 < R < 0.65. Two mechanisms have been investigated: orthokinetic flocculation and hydrokinetic arching. Arching appears to be the main mechanism for large, hard particles. In the absence of Brownian motion and inter-particle repulsive forces, other than simple Hertzian contact force, the blockage phenomenon is described by three non-dimensional parameters, N, R and β. The mean total number of particles in the channel having length L is N. Ratio of a diameter of particle (d p) and a diameter of channel (D) is R. Blockage efficiency factor β is determined experimentally. The data shows that a critical value N c exists as a function of R. N > N c implies high likelihood of blockage; if N < N c, blockages were never observed. The critical number decreases dramatically with increasing R. Blockages can occur at surprisingly low values of the volume concentration (φ). The experimental results matches well with the theory for the combinations of straight glass capillary, 76<D<156μm, 100mm-length, and spherical polymer particle, 22>d p<48μm.
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M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:1242286591
SN - 0791836673
SN - 9780791836675
T3 - International Conference on Microchannels and Minichannels
SP - 851
EP - 857
BT - International Conference on Microchannels and Minichannels
A2 - Kandlikar, S.G.
T2 - First International Conference on Microchannels and Minichannels
Y2 - 24 April 2003 through 25 April 2003
ER -