Manipulating liquid-liquid flow with magnetic dispersed phase in a T-junction microchannel using a constant magnetic field

Abstract

The paper investigates the possibility to control the two-phase flow of immiscible liquids with a high viscosity ratio of the carrier and dispersed phases in a T-junction microchannel, with the dispersed phase being a ferromagnetic liquid, by means of a constant magnetic field. The effects of separation of slugs and microdroplets of a ferrofluid, as well as the controllability of the structure of the parallel flow of immiscible liquids, have been found. The obtained results may be used to design microfluidic systems in order to efficiently sort particles, as well as intensify heat and mass transfer processes.