• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.145-152
• /
• 2017

Mixing of molecular grains having different characteristics is very important in many industries such as the food and pharmaceutical industries. With the development of computer simulations, it is common practice to find the optimal mixing conditions through a simulation before the actual mixing task to estimate the proper level of mixing. Accordingly, there has been an increasing need for a mixing index to measure the mix of particles in the simulation process. Mixing indices, which have been widely used so far, can largely be classified into two types: first is the statistical-based mixing index, which is prepared using the sampling method, and the second is the mixing index that is prepared using all the particles. In this paper, we calculated mixing indices in different ways for the data in the course of mixing the particles using the DEM simulation. Additionally, we compared the performance, advantages, and disadvantages of each mixing index. Therefore, I propose a standard that can be used to select an appropriate mixing index.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.30 no.8 s.251
• /
• pp.796-805
• /
• 2006

In this study, the problem of using the mixing index as a measure of the mixing performance for a certain flow field has been discussed. The flow model subjected to this study is the two-dimensional unsteady lid-driven cavity flow. The transport equation for the concentration within the cavity was solved by using the finite volume method where the convective terms are discretized with the central difference scheme. It was shown that both the concentration dispersion and the mixing index depend highly on the initial distribution of the concentration, and therefore the mixing index obtained from the concentration dispersion equation loses its universal applicability.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
• /
• 2008.11b
• /
• pp.2460-2464
• /
• 2008

The present paper suggests new method to know the effects of molecular diffusion and the helicity of microchannel flows on mixing in passive micromixers, which are essential components of a microfluidic chip. In this study, 'Helix Index' is newly defined as the magnitude of chaotic advection. Relationship between Helix Index and Mixing Index is analyzed numerically such as the wide range of Peclet and Reynolds numbers in three dimensional serpentine microchannel when using soluble solutions (water/glycerol). As a result, a simple algebraic equation is derived by this relationship based on a regression analysis. The algebraic equation is found to be able to accurately predict the mixing performance without solving the coupled, complex momentum and mass transfer equations.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
• /
• v.29 no.2 s.233
• /
• pp.232-238
• /
• 2005

The 'Mixing Index($D_I$)' is used as a conventional guidance measuring the degree of mixing for multiphase flows. For the case when insoluble solutions flow in a passive micromixer, a new method to calculate $D_I$ is proposed. The 'Vortex Index(${\Omega}_I$)' is suggested and formulated. We infer that ${\Omega}_I$ relates to the degree of chaotic advection. Various arbitrary shaped microchannels were tested to calculate the $D_I\;and\;{\Omega}_I$, and then a simple algebraic equation, $D_I=Aexp(B{\Omega}_I)$, is obtained. This equation may be used instead of the conventional partial differential equation, concentration equation, to estimate the degree of mixing.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
• /
• 2004.04a
• /
• pp.1841-1844
• /
• 2004

'Mixing Index($D_I$)'s generally used to measure the degree of mixing. A new method to calculate $D_I$ was proposed, when insoluble solution flows in micromixer. 'Vortex Index (${\Omega}_I$)'which indicate the degree of chaotic advection, is defined and formulated. A lots of arbitrary shaped microchannels were tested to calculate the $D_I$ and ${\Omega}_I$. And then a simple algebraic equation, $D_I=A{\Omega}_I+B$, was obtained. This equation may be used instead of partial differential equation, concentration equation.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
• /
• 2005.11a
• /
• pp.64.1-64.1
• /
• 2005

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
• /
• 2007.05b
• /
• pp.3128-3133
• /
• 2007

The mixing method of water and chemicals is significant in a small-scale water supply system because drinking water should be supplied with a certain quantity of remaining chemicals maintained. In the present study, the concentration distribution and the mixing index were obtained from four models, which were to find out the optimal mixing method of water and chemicals. The two models brought the good mixing effects out of the four, one for providing chemicals from the center of water supply pipe and the other for setting up the semicircle block at the downstream of the chemicals-providing pipe. As a result, the mixing effect was found out to be increased due to the diffusion and the disturbance of flows. In conclusion, these results are expected to contribute to designing the optimal mixing system.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
• /
• 2007.05b
• /
• pp.2811-2816
• /
• 2007

We conducted a numerical study of AC-electroosmotic (alternating current) effect on the fluid flow and mixing in a 3-D microchannel. The microchannel used as an efficient micro-mixer is composed of a channel and a series of pairs of electrodes attached in zigzag pattern on the bottom wall. The AC electric field is applied to the electrodes so that a steady flow current takes place around the electrodes. This current is flowing across the channel and thus contributing to the mixing of the fluid within the channel. We performed numerical simulations by using a commercial code to obtain a steady flow field. This steady flow is then used in evaluation of the mixing performance via the concept of mixing index. It was found that good combination of two kinds of electrode, which gave us a good mixing, is not simple harmonic. And when the length ratio of these two kinds of electrode is 2:1, we can get the best mixing effect.

• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
• /
• v.3 no.3
• /
• pp.227-234
• /
• 2010

Numerical analyses have been performed to investigate the effects of geometric parameters of a straight groove micromixer on mixing performance and pressure drop. Three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations with two working fluids, water and ethanol have been used to calculate mixing index and pressure drop. A parametric study has been carried out to find the effects of the number of grooves per cycle, arrangement of patterned walls, and additional grooves in triangular dead zones between half cycles of grooves. The three arrangements of patterned walls in a micromixer, i.e., single wall patterned, both walls patterned symmetrically, and both walls patterned asymmetrically, have been tested. The results indicate that as the number of grooves per cycle increases the mixing index increases and the pressure drop decreases. The microchannel with both walls patterned asymmetrically shows the best mixing performance among the three different arrangements of patterned walls. Additional grooves confirm the better mixing performance and lower pressure drop.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.459-464
• /
• 2013

The purpose of a micro-mixing device is to enhance the mixing by increasing the diffusion effect between different types of flows. There have been many attempts to actively or passively increase mixing. However, those studies were limited to lab-scale experiments because the production of devices requires a series of processes, time, cost, and the mixing quality itself. For this reason, this study attempted to develop a quick and simple process for micro-mixing device fabrication by using conventional machining and bonding processes and applying ultrasonic waves from the outside of the mixing device. The mixing quality was quantified by using the mixing index, and the results showed that the proposed system increases the mixing from ~33% to ~10% with respect to the flow rates.