Effects of baffle configuration on mixing in a T-shaped micro-channel

Abstract

A numerical study was performed for a T-shaped microchannel to enhance mixing performance through a baffle configuration. The mixing performance was analyzed in terms of the DOM (degree of mixing) and the pressure load between the two inlets and outlet. Four different baffle configurations were designed and simulated to determine how they affect the mixing performance of a T-shaped microchannel. Among the four baffle configurations, a cyclic configuration of baffles produced the best results. It exhibited the fastest growth in the DOM along the microchannel. The cyclic configuration means that four baffles are attached to four side walls of the channel in a cyclic order. The mixing improvement occurs in two ways. One is in the baffle region, when the cyclic configuration causes the fluid flow to rotate in the cross section, unlike other configurations. The other improvement is observed in the remaining outlet branch after the baffle region. This improvement is due to twisting and elongation of the boundary between two fluids. The baffle size and the interval between two consecutive baffles are shown to be optimized in terms of the DOM for a given condition.