Application of direct fluid flow oscillations to improve mixing in microbioreactors

X. Li, G. Van Der Steen, G. W.K. Van Dedem, L. A.M. Van Der Wielen, M. Van Leeuwen, W. M. Van Gulik, J. J. Heijnen, M. Ottens, E. E. Krommenhoek, J. G.E. Gardeniers, A. Van Den Berg

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This article describes an active mixing method for a microbioreactor that was designed, simulated, tested, and successfully implemented. By applying a varying pressure to a microchannel looping tangentially into a cylindrical microreactor an oscillating fluid flow was shown to occur. Such an oscillating fluid flow improved mixing, both by diffusion and convection. The oscillating fluid flow has a large impact on the ratio between the diffusion domain and the convection domain. A good match was obtained between experimental mixing results, computational fluid dynamics simulation results and the results of a simplified mixing model thus demonstrating the potential of simulation on improving the design of microreactors.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2725-2736
Number of pages12
JournalAIChE Journal
Volume55
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
  • Microbioreactor
  • Microfluidics
  • Micromixing
  • Oscillations

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