(83e) Numerical Study of Droplet Formation Patterns in Flow Focusing Microfluidics

The formation of droplets resulting from breakup of aqueous thread into immiscible liquid in microfluidics device with flow focusing geometry at various conditions was investigated. The full transient from startup to breakup into droplets was simulated numerically by solving the time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations of two phase flow using volume-of-fluid (VOF) method and level set method. The numerical simulation results were compared with experimental data at different flow rates, and the mechanisms of droplets formation were discussed.