1

Basic Principles in Microuidics

2
Newtons Second Law for Fluidics
Newtons 2
nd
Law (F= ma) :
Time rate of change of momentum of a system equal to net force
acting on system
Sum of forces acting on control volume =
Rate of momentum efux from control volume
+
Rate of accumulation of momentum in control volume
!F =
dP
dt
3
Navier - Stokes Equation
Navier-Stokes equation applies when:
(1) There are more than one million molecules
in smallest volume that a macroscopic change
takes place.
(2) The ow is not too far from thermodynamic
equilibrium.
4
Navier - Stokes Equation
dU
dt
= !
"P
#
+ g +
$
#
"
2
U
!
dU
dt
= "#P + !g +$#
2
U

!iU = 0
!
dU
dt
= "#P + !g +$#
2
U +
$
3
#(#iU)
For noncompressible Fluid
5
Navier - Stokes in Microuidics
Terms become dominant based on physics of scale
In microuidics inertial forces dominate due to
small dimensions, even though velocity can be
high
dU
dt
= !
"P
#
+ g +
$
#
"
2
U
dU
dt
= !
1
"
#P
6
VISCOSITY
7
Viscosity
Viscosity is a measure of resistance (friction)
of the uid to the ow
This determines ow rate
Symbols: ! and in some books
Units: Poise (gram/sec * Cm)
8
Viscosity
Viscosity is a measure of resistance (friction)
of the uid to the ow.
This determines ow rate.
Units: Poise (gram/sec Cm)
9
Basic Properties - Viscosity
Fluids and gases are very different
Fluids become less viscous as temperature
increases
Gases become more viscous at temperature
increases
10
Viscosity in Gases and Fluids
Gases
Fluids
! " !
0
e
# ($ # $
0
)
! = !
0
(T
0
- constant)
(T
0
- constant)
T
T
0
"
#
$
%
&
'
3
2
11
Interfaces and Surface Tension
12
Interfaces
Interface: Geometric Surface that delimits 2
uids
Separation depends on molecular
interactions and Brownian diffusion
13
Interfaces
Interface: Geometric Surface that delimits 2
uids
Simplied view:
Interaction between
molecules
At interface:
different energies
14
Interfaces
If U is the total cohesive energy per
molecule and d is a characteristic molecular
dimension, d
2
is its surface, then the energy
loss (surface tension) is given by:
! =
U
2d
2
15
Laplaces Law
Minimization of surface energy, create
curvature of uids on other surfaces (uids)
Curvature 1/R
Laplaces Law, the change in pressure is
related to the curvature of the surface.
For a sphere: !P = 2 (%/R)
For a cylinder: !P = %/R
16
Droplet on a Surface of Two Properties

Simulations

17
Coarsening
Two Droplets linked by a precursor lm
18
Coarsening
Two Droplets linked by a precursor lm
19
Contact Angle
Surface tension (force per length)
Angle is determined by the balance of
forces at the point of interface
Hydrophilic
Hydrophobic
20
Contact Angle
Surface tension (force per length)
Angle is determined by the balance of
forces at the point of interface
Oil on Water
21
Hydrophilic - Hydrophobic
22
Surface Tension
Droplet on a surface
Forces on cross section of drop
Surface tension along periphery
Pressure on section area
Pressure difference outside/inside drop
Force = !PA = "r2!P
Surface Tension=2!r"
! =
r
2
"P
23
Forces - Capillary Effects
A wetting uid will rise in a capillary tube
Equilibrium: pressure drop across meniscus
Surface tension
Viscosity
h =
2! Cos(")
#gr
24
Capillary Force
25
Capillary Forces
26
Small Channel (capillary) - Surface tension draws uid of density & into
the channel of radius ( r)
' = contact angle
% = surface tension (N/m)
Height of Fluid in a tube in the presence of gravity
Capillary Forces
F = 2!r" Cos(#)
h =
2! Cos(")
#gr
27
Forces - Capillary Effects
28
29
Capillary Forces
30
Droplet on Surfaces

31
Droplet on Irregular Surfaces
r: roughness
f: ratio of contact angle to the total horizon surface
Youngs critical angle cos(') = (f-1) / (r-f)
32
Wettability and Roughness
33
Reynolds Number
34
Fluids - Types of Flow
Laminar Flow (Steady)
Energy losses are dominated by viscosity effects
Fluid particles move along smooth paths in laminas or layers
Turbulent
Most ow in nature are turbulent!
Fluid particles move in irregular paths,
somewhat similar to the molecular
momentum transfer but on a much
larger scale
Reynolds Number
Re

is a measure of turbulence
35
Reynolds Number
Reynolds number (Re) = inertial forces / viscous forces
Re = Kinetic energy / energy dissipated by shear
Implies inertia relatively important
V
D
= Drag velocity, L = characteristic length, != viscosity, & = density
Re < 2100 : laminar (Stokes) ow regime slow uid ow, no inertial effects
laminar ow in microuidics
slow time constants, heavy damping
Re > 4000 : unstable laminar ow - turbulent ow regime
Re = !V
D
L
"
Re =
1
2
mV
D
2
1
2
!V
D
A
Re =
(!AL)V
D
"A
36
High and Low Reynolds number uidics
When the Reynolds number is low, viscous
interaction between the wall and the uid is
strong, and there is no turbulences or vortices
37
38
Is this Flow Turbulent?
Channel Geometry - Use a characteristic length : D
h
D
h
is a geometric constant
Re =
!
"
VD
h
39
Is this Flow Turbulent?
40
Mixing
Re = 12 and Re = 70
Cycle 1
Cycle 2
Cycle 3
41
Microchannels Cross Sections
42
Re and Size
43
Re
Re - Some examples
Friction factor ~ 1/ Re
44
Human Circulatory System
45
Flow associated with Skin
46
Knudsen Number
Knudsen number assumes that we can treat the material as a
continuum
Continuum hypothesis holds better for liquids than gases
also,
(
mfp
= mean free path of molecules, D
h
= hydraulic diameter
K
n
measures deviation of the state of the material continuum
K
n
< 0.01 continuum
0.01 < K
n
< 0.1 slip ow
0.1 < K
n
< 10 transition region
10 < K
n
molecular ow
K
n
=
!
mfp
D
h
K
n
=
!"
2
(
M
Re
)
47
The Smallest Length Scale of a Continuum
Low Re
High Re
K
n
=
M
Re
!"
2
48
Stokes - Einstein Diffusion
Stokes - Einstein Equation
Diffusion of a particle
(gas, uid)
Translational Diffusivity
Rotational Diffusivity
!
D
t
=
K
B
T
6!"a
D
r
=
K
B
T
8!"a
3
49
Diffusion in Fluids
Very short diffusion times

D = diffusion constant
X = diffusion length
) = diffusion rate
Laminar ow limits benets for uid mixing.
Highly predictable diffusion has enabled a new class of
microuidic diffusion mixers
x = 2D!
! =
1
2
x
2
D
50
Fluid Squeeze
51
Squeezed lm damping
Squeeze a lm by pushing on the plates (one is not moving) Viscous drag is opposing the motion of the
uid
Beam displacement
Flow of uid (Reynolds equation)
Knudsen number, K,
is the ratio of the mean free path to gap
Squeeze number: relative importance of viscous to spring forces
!
"
2
U
"t
2
+ EI
"
4
U
"u
4
= P +
F
L
12!
d(Ph)
dt
= "{(1+ 6k)h
3
P"P}
P = b
dU
dt
b =
96!W
3
"
4
h
3
L
52
Concluding Remarks
53
Summary
Re

= turbulent / viscous stresses
Re < 2100 : laminar (Stokes) ow regime,
slow uid ow, no inertial effects
laminar ow in microuidics
slow time constants, heavy damping
Re > 4000 : turbulent ow regime
54
Fluid Behavioral
What happens when the uid is on the micro -
nano scale?
We discussed scaling - this is a review
Quantities proportional L
3
Inertia, buoyancy, etc.
Quantities proportional L
2
Drag, surface charge, etc.
Quantities proportional L
1
Surface tension
55
Who Rules
!