Particle Tracing in a Micromixer

Application ID: 12151


Micromixers can either be static or dynamic depending on the required mixing time and length scale. For static mixers, the Reynolds number has to be suitable high to induce turbulence enhanced mixing. Often micromixers operate in the laminar flow regime due to their small characteristic size. The diffusivity of a solute in the flowing fluid may also be extremely small, on the order of 10-10m²/s. This results in mixing length scales on the order of meters—clearly unacceptable for a microscale device. Static mixers try to alleviate the problem by adding mixing elements to induce vorticity into the flow. A dynamic mixer uses rotating blades to enhance the mixing process, allowing for smaller scale devices. The one big disadvantage of a dynamic mixer is that moving parts are required. This model uses the Rotating Machinery, Laminar Flow and Particle Tracing for Fluid Flow interfaces.

This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products: