Effects of Geometric Parameters on Mixing Efficiency and Optimization in Variable Cross Section Microchannels

Yang, Lijun; Hang, Yu; Liu, Renjie; Li, Zongan; Wu, Ye

doi:10.3390/mi16091001

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Effects of Geometric Parameters on Mixing Efficiency and Optimization in Variable Cross Section Microchannels

by

Lijun Yang

¹,

Yu Hang

^2,*,

Renjie Liu

¹,

Zongan Li

^3,* and

Ye Wu

³

¹

School of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing Institute of Technology, Nanjing 211167, China

²

School of Artificial Intelligence, Nanjing Normal University of Special Education, Nanjing 210038, China

³

School of Electrical and Automation Engineering, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046, China

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Micromachines 2025, 16(9), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16091001

Submission received: 4 August 2025 / Revised: 23 August 2025 / Accepted: 27 August 2025 / Published: 29 August 2025

(This article belongs to the Collection Micromixers: Analysis, Design and Fabrication)

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Abstract

Micromixers are important devices used in many fields for various applications which provide high mixing efficiencies and reduce the amount of reagents and samples. In addition, effective premixing of reactants is essential for obtaining high reaction rates. In order to further improve the mixing performance, three-dimensional numerical simulations and optimizations of the flow and mixing characteristics within a variable cross section T-shaped micromixer were carried out. The effects of the geometric parameters containing channel diameter, channel shape, channel contraction and expansion ratio, and number of expansion units on the mixing were investigated with the evaluation criteria of mixing index and performance index. The optimized geometric parameters of the channel were a diameter of 0.2 mm, the shape of Sem channel, an expansion ratio of 1:3, and a number of expansion units of 7, respectively. It can be showed that the mixing efficiency of the optimized micromixer was greatly improved, and the mixing index at different velocities could reach up to more than 0.98.

Keywords: micromixer; geometric parameters; mixing efficiency; variable cross section

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MDPI and ACS Style

Yang, L.; Hang, Y.; Liu, R.; Li, Z.; Wu, Y. Effects of Geometric Parameters on Mixing Efficiency and Optimization in Variable Cross Section Microchannels. Micromachines 2025, 16, 1001. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16091001

AMA Style

Yang L, Hang Y, Liu R, Li Z, Wu Y. Effects of Geometric Parameters on Mixing Efficiency and Optimization in Variable Cross Section Microchannels. Micromachines. 2025; 16(9):1001. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16091001

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yang, Lijun, Yu Hang, Renjie Liu, Zongan Li, and Ye Wu. 2025. "Effects of Geometric Parameters on Mixing Efficiency and Optimization in Variable Cross Section Microchannels" Micromachines 16, no. 9: 1001. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16091001

APA Style

Yang, L., Hang, Y., Liu, R., Li, Z., & Wu, Y. (2025). Effects of Geometric Parameters on Mixing Efficiency and Optimization in Variable Cross Section Microchannels. Micromachines, 16(9), 1001. https://doi.org/10.3390/mi16091001

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Effects of Geometric Parameters on Mixing Efficiency and Optimization in Variable Cross Section Microchannels

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