A parametric study of droplet deformation through a microfluidic contraction: Low viscosity Newtonian droplets

Review on Microbubbles and Microdroplets Flowing through Microfluidic Geometrical Elements

Two-phase flows are found in several industrial systems/applications, including boilers and condensers, which are used in power generation or refrigeration, steam generators, oil/gas extraction wells and refineries, flame stabilizers, safety valves, among many others. The structure of these flows is complex, and it is largely governed by the extent of interphase interactions. In the last two decades, due to a large development of microfabrication technologies, many microstructured devices involving several elements (constrictions, contractions, expansions, obstacles, or T-junctions) have been designed and manufactured. The pursuit for innovation in two-phase flows in these elements require an understanding and control of the behaviour of bubble/droplet flow. The need to systematize the most relevant studies that involve these issues constitutes the motivation for this review. In the present work, literature addressing gas-liquid and liquid-liquid flows, with Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, and covering theoretical, experimental, and numerical approaches, is reviewed. Particular focus is given to the deformation, coalescence, and breakup mechanisms when bubbles and droplets pass through the aforementioned microfluidic elements.

Entry effects of droplet in a micro confinement: Implications for deformation-based circulating tumor cell microfiltration

Deformation-based circulating tumor cell (CTC) microchips are a representative diagnostic device for early cancer detection. This type of device usually involves a process of CTC trapping in a confined microgeometry. Further understanding of the CTC flow regime, as well as the threshold passing-through pressure, is a key to the design of deformation-based CTC filtration devices. In the present numerical study, we investigate the transitional deformation and pressure signature from surface tension dominated flow to viscous shear stress dominated flow using a droplet model. Regarding whether CTC fully blocks the channel inlet, we observe two flow regimes: CTC squeezing and shearing regime. By studying the relation of CTC deformation at the exact critical pressure point for increasing inlet velocity, three different types of cell deformation are observed: (1) hemispherical front, (2) parabolic front, and (3) elongated CTC co-flowing with carrier media. Focusing on the circular channel, we observe a first increasing and then decreasing critical pressure change with increasing flow rate. By pressure analysis, the concept of optimum velocity is proposed to explain the behavior of CTC filtration and design optimization of CTC filter. Similar behavior is also observed in channels with symmetrical cross sections like square and triangular but not in rectangular channels which only results in decreasing critical pressure.

Droplet based microfluidics

Droplet based microfluidics is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field of research combining soft matter physics, biochemistry and microsystems engineering. Its applications range from fast analytical systems or the synthesis of advanced materials to protein crystallization and biological assays for living cells. Precise control of droplet volumes and reliable manipulation of individual droplets such as coalescence, mixing of their contents, and sorting in combination with fast analysis tools allow us to perform chemical reactions inside the droplets under defined conditions. In this paper, we will review available drop generation and manipulation techniques. The main focus of this review is not to be comprehensive and explain all techniques in great detail but to identify and shed light on similarities and underlying physical principles. Since geometry and wetting properties of the microfluidic channels are crucial factors for droplet generation, we also briefly describe typical device fabrication methods in droplet based microfluidics. Examples of applications and reaction schemes which rely on the discussed manipulation techniques are also presented, such as the fabrication of special materials and biophysical experiments.

Deformation and breakup of high-viscosity droplets with symmetric microfluidic cross flows

The dynamic response of highly viscous droplets to a sharp increase in the surrounding liquid velocity is experimentally investigated in a square microchannel junction. The local injection of the continuous phase from symmetric side channels onto a train of droplets produces a large velocity contrast between the front and the rear of droplets, yielding a broad range of time-dependent deformation and breakup. In particular, due to microscale confinement, the system displays a nonlinear behavior with the initial droplet size. Deformations, relaxation times, and fragmentation processes are examined as a function of flow parameters and fluids properties with emphasis on the formation of slender viscous structures such as spoon-shaped droplets, i.e., asymmetrical droplets.