Multiphase Flow Dynamics in Microchannels
Summary
Multiphase flow dynamics in microchannels encompasses the interaction and transport of two or more immiscible fluids—typically gas–liquid, liquid–liquid or gas–liquid–solid systems—within conduits of micrometre dimensions. At these scales, interfacial tension and capillary forces dominate over inertial effects, giving rise to characteristic flow regimes such as slug flow, Taylor‐bubble flow, annular flow and droplet flow. A thin liquid film often develops around advancing bubbles or slugs, influencing mass and heat transfer rates. Key dimensionless groups—the Reynolds, Capillary, Weber and Ohnesorge numbers—govern the balance of viscous, inertial and surface‐tension effects, dictating flow patterns, interfacial stability and pressure drop. Experimental techniques such as high‐speed imaging, micro‐Particle Image Velocimetry and confocal microscopy, alongside numerical approaches based on volume‐of‐fluid and lattice Boltzmann methods, have advanced our mechanistic understanding. Such insight underpins applications in microreactors for chemical synthesis, heat‐exchange systems, biomedical diagnostics, environmental sensors and process intensification, where precise control of phase distribution and enhanced mass transfer are essential for global challenges in energy, healthcare and sustainable manufacturing.
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Multiphase Flow Dynamics in Microchannels publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in multiphase flow dynamics in microchannels across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Capillary number (Ca): Ratio of viscous forces to surface‐tension forces, governing film thickness and bubble shapes.
Weissenberg number (Wi): Dimensionless measure of fluid elasticity in viscoelastic flows, relating relaxation time to characteristic flow time.
Reynolds number (Re): Ratio of inertial to viscous forces, indicating flow regime from laminar to turbulent.
Weber number (We): Ratio of inertial forces to surface‐tension forces, influencing droplet and bubble formation.
Taylor bubble: Elongated gas bubble occupying almost the entire cross‐section of a channel, bounded by thin liquid films.
Laplace pressure: Pressure difference across a curved interface arising from surface tension and curvature.
Slug flow: Alternating sequence of elongated bubbles (Taylor bubbles) and liquid slugs moving through a channel.
References
- Self‐Driving Underwater “Aerofluidics”. Advanced Science (2023).
- Deposition of shear‐thinning viscoelastic fluids by an elongated bubble in a circular channel regarding the weakly elastic regime. Droplet (2024).
- Manipulation of gas-liquid-liquid systems in continuous flow microreactors for efficient reaction processes. Journal of Flow Chemistry (2020).
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