ORCID Identifier(s)

0000-0003-1813-806X

Graduation Semester and Year

2017

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

First Advisor

Hyejin Moon

Abstract

Marangoni convection is a flow resulting from a surface tension gradient at air/liquid interface caused by temperature gradient, concentration of surfactant or applied electric field. Marangoni convection when caused by temperature gradient is also known as thermo-capillary effect. A microgravity condition presents an ideal case to study this phenomenon, since interfacial forces are dominant over body forces. Hence Marangoni convection inside the micro-droplet was studied both numerically and experimentally. The potential application at micro-scale includes particle separation, chaotic mixing inside the droplet and possible enhancement in liquid liquid extraction. To explore these application, firstly flow field inside a droplet was studied by imposing variety of surface tension gradient. Secondly a comparative numerical study of mixing inside a droplet was done for pure diffusive and convective diffusive mixing cases, to evaluate the efficiency of Marangoni convection in mixing. Next, a biphasic system of oil droplet rising in an aqueous phase was modeled to study effect of convection on liquid liquid extraction. Finally a biphasic system to study effect of Marangoni convection on liquid liquid extraction was modeled.

Keywords

Marangoni convection, Liquid-liquid extraction, Two phase modeling, Particle separation, Chaotic mixing, Microdroplets

Disciplines

Aerospace Engineering | Engineering | Mechanical Engineering

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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