• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.03b
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• pp.2-5
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• 2008

This study describes the numerical simulation of three-dimensional droplet formation and the following motion in a cross-junction microchannel by using the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM). Our aim is to develop the three-dimensional binary fluids model, consisting of two sets of distribution functions to represent the total fluid density and the density difference, which introduces the repulsive interaction consistent with a free-energy function between two fluids. We validated the LBM code with the velocity profile in a 3-dimensional rectangular channel. Then, we applied our code to the numerical simulation of a binary fluid flow in a cross-junction channel focusing on the investigation of the droplet formulation. Due to the pressure and interfacial-tension effect, one component of the fluids which is injected from one inlet is cut off into many droplets periodically by the other component which is injected from the other inlets. We considered the effect of the boundary conditions for density difference (order parameter) on the wetting of the droplet to the side walls.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2008.03b
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• pp.581-584
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• 2008

A generation of a particle beam is the key technique in a flow cytometry that measures the fluorescence and light scattering of individual cell and other particulate or molecular analytes in biomedical research. Recent methods performing this function require a laborious and time-consuming assembly. In the present work, we propose a novel device for the generation of an axisymmetrical focusing beam of microparticles (3-D focusing) in a single capillary without sheath flows. This work uses the concept that the particles migrate toward the centerline of the channel when they lag behind the parabolic velocity profile. Particle focusing of spherical particles was successfully made with a beam diameter of about 10 ${\mu}$m. Proposed device provides crucial solutions for simple and innovative 3-D particle focusing method for the applications to the MEMS-based micro-flow cytometry. We believe that this device can be utilized in a wide variety of applications, such as biomedical/ biochemical engineering.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1419-1426
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• 2008

Fulminant hepatic failure is a clinical syndrome associated with a high mortality rate. Orthotopic liver transplantation is the only clinically proven effective treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease who do not respond to medical management. A major limitation of this treatment modality is the scarcity of donor organs available, resulting in patients dying while waiting for a donor liver. An extracorporeal bioartificial liver (BAL) device containing viable hepatocytes has the potential to provide temporary hepatic support to liver failure patients, serving as a bridge to transplantation while awaiting a suitable donor. In some patients, providing temporary hepatic support may be sufficient to allow adequate regeneration of the host liver, thereby eliminating the need for a liver transplant. Although the BAL device is a promising technology for the treatment of liver failure, there are several technical challenges that must be overcome in order to develop systems with sufficient processing capacity and of manageable size. In this overview, the authors describe the critical issues involved in developing a BAL device. They also discuss their experiences in hepatocyte culture optimization within the context of a microchannel flat-plate BAL device.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1549-1556
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• 2004

We have deigned, fabricated and compared four different types of static chaos microfluid mixers, including the mixers using straight channel flow, microblock-induced alternating whirl flow, microchannel-induced lamination flow, and combined alternating whirl-lamination flow. Among them, the alternating whirl-lamination (AWL-type) mixer, composed of 3-D rotationally arranged microblocks and dividing microchannels fabricated by conventional planar lithography process, is effective to reduce the mixing length over wide flow rate ranges. We characterize the performance of the fabricated mixers, through the flow visualization technique using phenolphthalein solution. We verify that the AWL-type microfluid mixer shows the shortest fluid mixing length of 2.8mm∼5.8mm for the flow rate range of Re=0.26∼26 with the pressure drop lower than 5kPa. Compared to the previous mixers, requiring the mixing lengths of 7∼17mm, the AWL-type microfluid mixer results in the 60% reduction of the mixing lengths. Due to the reduced mixing lengths within reasonable pressure drop ranges, the present micromixers have potentials for use in the miniaturized Micro-Total-Analysis-Systems($\mu$TAS).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.53-58
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• 2018

This paper presents an electromagnetically driven microrobot for the enhancement of mixing performance in high viscous liquid media such as blood and bone marrow. First, an electromagnetic system was fabricated, and the magnetic flux density generated from the system was compared with the theoretical value. Second, the reciprocating motion of the microrobot was demonstrated in microchannel using electromagnetic system. As a proof of concept, the mixing performance by the electromagnetically driven microrobot in high viscous liquid was investigated using safranin solution. As a result, it was completely mixed within 140 s with the reciprocating motion of the microrobot while it took 1680 s for natural diffusion. In addition, the mixing efficiency was quantitatively evaluated through a mixing index obtained by an image analysis. The proposed method provides not only wireless actuation of a microrobot with a simple design but also high mixing performance in variety of high viscous liquid media.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.29 no.11 s.242
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• pp.1182-1188
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• 2005

An x-ray PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) technique was developed to measure quantitative information on flows inside opaque conduits and on opaque-fluid flows. At first, the developed x-ray PIV technique was applied to flow in an opaque Teflon tube. To acquire x-ray images suitable for PIV velocity field measurements, refraction-based edge enhancement mechanism was employed using detectable tracer particles. The optimal distance between with the sample and detector was experimentally determined. The resulting amassed velocity field data were in reasonable agreement with the theoretical prediction. The x-ray PIV technique was also applied to blood flow in a microchannel. The flow pattern of blood was visualifed by enhancing the diffraction/interference -bas ed characteristic s of blood cells on synchrotron x-rays without any contrast agent or tracer particles. That is, the flow-pattern image of blood was achieved by optimizing the sample (blood) to detector distance and the sample thickness. Quantitative velocity field information was obtained by applying PIV algorithm to the enhanced x-ray flow images. The measured velocity field data show a typical flow structure of flow in a macro-scale channel.

• Korea-Australia Rheology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.147-156
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• 2007

The orientation and deformation of polymer chains in a confined channel flow has been investigated. The polymer chain was modeled as a Finitely Extensible Nonlinear Elastic (FENE) dumbbell. The Brownian configuration field method was extended to take the interaction between the flow and local chain dynamics into account. Drag and Brownian forces were treated as anisotropic in order to reflect the influence of the wall in the confined flow. Both Poiseuille flow and 4 : 1 contraction flow were considered. Of particular interest was molecular tumbling of polymer chains near the wall. It was strongly influenced by anisotropic drag and high shear close to the wall. We discussed the mechanism of this particular behavior in terms of the governing forces. The dumbbell configuration was determined not only by the wall interaction but also by the flow type of the geometric origin. The effect of extensional flow on dumbbell configuration was also discussed by comparing with the Poiseuille flow.

• 한국가시화정보학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2004.12a
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• pp.65-74
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• 2004

Measurement of concentration distributions of suspended particles in a micro-channel is out of the most crucial necessities in the area of Lab-on-a-chip to be used for various bio-chemical applications. One most feasible way to measure the concentration field in the micro-channel is using micro-LIF(Laser Induced Fluorescence) method. However, an accurate concentration field at a given cross plane in a micro-channel has not been successfully achieved so far due to various limitations in the light illumination and fluorescence signal detection. The present study demonstrates a novel method to provide an ultra thin laser sheet beam having five(5) microns thickness by use of a micro focus laser line generator. The laser sheet beam illuminates an exact plane of concentration measurement field to increase the signal to noise ratio and considerably reduce the depth uncertainty. Nile Blue A was used as fluorescent dye for the present LIF measurement. The enhancement of the fluorescent intensity signals was performed by a solvent mixture of water $(95\%)$ and ethanol (EtOH)/methanol (MeOH) $(5\%)$ mixture. To reduce the rms errors resulted from the CCD electronic noise and other sources, an expansion of grid size was attempted from $1\times1\;to\;3\times3\;or\;5\times5$ pixel data windows and the pertinent signal-to-noise level has been noticeably increased accordingly.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.473-478
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• 2004

This study focused on the charateristic of magnetic fluids, the viscosity deviation of magnetic fluids due to temperature changes, and fabrication of a 'purely' liquid type microvalve. The viscosity of magnetic fluids decreases sharply during increasing of temperature. The viscosity of magnetic fluids is rated 1,000 cP at the room temperature and 25 cP when the temperature reaches $100^{\circ}C$. Briefly, it is remarkable that the fluid flow can be controlled by the temperature and this characteristic can be adopted to the microfluidics as a microvalve. The fabrication of a liquid type microvalve is more easy than solid state microvalves and which can increase an efficiency of the controlability with respect to the thermo-pneumatic micropump which is studied broadly for many years. When the magnetic fluid used as a sealant for high level sealing, the pressure leakage is less than solid state microvalve. The experimental results show that the pressure drop in microchannel, filled with the magnetic fluid, is significant in the temperature range of $20^{\circ}C{\sim}50^{\circ}C$ and this result explains why the use of magnetic fluids is possible as a microvalve searcher uses this characteristics. Well known thermo-pnumatic.

• Proceedings of the Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.51-51
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• 2012

There is a growing interest in innovative chemical synthesis in microreactors owing to high efficiency, selectivity, and yield. In microfluidic systems, the low-volume spatial and temporal control of reactants and products offers a novel method for chemical manipulation and product generation. Glass, silicon, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), and plastics have been used for the fabrication of miniaturized devices. However, these materials are not the best due to either of low chemical durability or expensive fabrication costs. In our group, we have recently addressed the demand for economical resistant materials that can be used for easy fabrication of microfluidic systems with reliable durability. We have suggested the use of various specialty polymers such as silicon-based inorganic polymers and fluoropolymer, flexible polyimide (PI) films that have not been used for microfluidic devices, although they have been used for other areas. And inexpensive lithography techniques were used to fabricate Lab-on-a-Chip type of microreactors with differently devised microchannel design. These microreactors were demonstrated for various synthetic reactions: liquid, liquid-gas organic chemical reactions in heterogeneous catalytic processes, syntheses of polymer and non-trivial inorganic materials. The microreactors were inert, and withstand even harsh conditions, including hydrothermal reaction. In addition, various built-in microstructures inside the microchannels, for example Pd decorated peptide nanowires, definitely enhance the uniqueness and performance of microreactors. These user-friendly Lab-on-a-Chip devices are useful alternatives for chemist and chemical engineer to conventional chemical tools such as glass.