Perpendicular Optofluidic Setup for Real Time Droplet Size Measurements

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to offer a low cost and noninvasive set up aimed at measuring droplet dimensions in real time. The system is composed of an acrylic microfluidic device coupled to a perpendicularly positioned optical fiber, a laser diode light source and a photodetector. This optofluidic system is capable of producing droplets with sizes varying from 250 up to 400 μm, by changing the inlets flow rates. FEM modeling was introduced in order to understand the transmittance pattern observed while the droplets crossed the optical path.