Liquid flow in microchannels: experimental observations and computational analyses of microfluidics effects

Experimental observations of liquid microchannel flows are reviewed and results of computer experiments concerning channel entrance, wall slip, non-Newtonian fluid, surface roughness, viscous dissipation and turbulence effects on the friction factor are discussed. The experimental findings are classified into three groups. Group I emphasizes 'flow instabilities' and group II points out 'viscosity changes' as the causes of deviations from the conventional flow theory for macrochannels. Group III caters to studies that did not detect any measurable differences between micro- and macroscale fluid flow behaviors. Based on numerical friction factor analyses, the entrance effect should be taken into account for any microfluidic system. It is a function of channel length, aspect ratio and the Reynolds number. Non-Newtonian fluid flow effects are expected to be important for polymeric liquids and particle suspension flows. The wall slip effect is negligible for liquid flows in microconduits. Significant surface roughness effects are a function of the Darcy number, the Reynolds number and cross-sectional configurations. For relatively low Reynolds numbers, Re < 2000, onset to turbulence has to be considered important because of possible geometric non-uniformities, e.g., a contraction and/or bend at the inlet to the microchannel. Channel-size effect on viscous dissipation turns out to be important for conduits with D-h < 100 mum.