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Micro-orifice liquid flow at low Reynolds number and effect of thickness to

diameter ratio

Conference Paper · March 2018

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 Micro-orifice liquid flow at low Reynolds number
and effect of thickness to diameter ratio
Max Szolcek and Andrea Cioncolini
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
Abstract—Micro-orifice discharge with single-phase water flow
was experimentally investigated with six multi-micro-orifice test
pieces with orifice diameter of 200 µm and thickness to diameter
ratio between 4.25 and 27.0. During the experiments the Reynolds
number varied between 5 and 4500: a range that corresponds
to creeping flow and laminar to turbulent transitional flow. The
emergence of turbulence, as indirectly deduced from the change
in slope of the pressure drop versus mass flow rate profiles, was
found to be gradual and smooth. Using the newly generated data
presented here, the validity of an existing micro-orifice discharge
prediction method for creeping flow conditions was extended to
microfluidics applications with thick micro-orifices.
I. I NTRODUCTION
With advancements in micro-fabrication techniques [1],
microfluidic devices now offer an increasingly effective al-
ternative to conventional devices, such as cooling systems
[2], refrigerators [3] and lab-on-chip devices [4]. Microfluidic
devices exploit the physical and chemical properties of liquids
at the micro-scale, and often offer superior efficiency to their
macro-scale counterparts [4]. Notably, micro-orifices are key
components in many microfluidic systems, including micro-
pumps, injectors and heat sinks [5]. Micro-orifices have also
been successfully employed in miniature scale corrosion stud-
ies relevant in steam generators and nuclear plant cooling loops
[6]–[8]. While conventional macroscopic flow systems and ori-
fices are well characterised, on the micro-scale further research
is needed, because at small scale volumetric effects become
less important compared to surface effects. The current micro-
orifice data from the literature show qualitatively similar
trends to those observed with data generated with conventional
macroscopic orifices. However, an anomalously low pressure
drop has been recorded in multiple experiments at lower
values of Reynolds number (creeping/laminar flow) and for
very small orifice diameters (≤50µm) [9]–[11]. Meanwhile,
extensive data gathered for turbulent flow has shown a depen-
dence of dimensionless pressure drop exclusively on the orifice
Reynolds number [12] [13]. Existing prediction methods for
micro-orifice single-phase flow include the analytical method
developed by Dagan et al. [14] for creeping flows, which reads
as follows:
12π 16t
K= (1 + ) f orRe → 0+ and 0 ≤ (t/d) ≤ 2 (1)
Re 3πd
Fabio Scenini and Michele Curioni
School of Materials
University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
Meanwhile, for turbulent flow conditions at high orifice
Reynolds numbers Cioncolini et al. [12] [13] proposed the
following empirical correlation:
K = 3.137Re − 0.0737 f or 1000 ≤ Re ≤ 220, 000 (2)
Notwithstanding the investigations carried out so far, only
limited data are available in creeping flow and laminar to tur-
bulent transitional flow; and thick microorifices with thickness
to diameter ratio t/d above 4 are presently not characterized at
these flow conditions. Such types of thick micro-orifices are
encountered frequently in micro fluidics applications, because
thin micro-orifices may be difficult to manufacture and may
suffer from excessive mechanical deformation during opera-
tion due to the differential pressure load. The present study
was therefore conducted in order to advance the knowledge
of liquid flow through thick micro-orifices in creeping flow
and laminar to turbulent transitional flow, by experimentally
investigating six multi-micro-orifices having diameter of 200
µm and thickness to diameter ratio t/d in the range between
4.25 and 27.0.
II. E XPERIMENTAL M ETHODS
Individual, multi-micro-orifice samples were fabricated
from 12 mm diameter Rulon LR plates, with 0.4 mm outer
diameter aluminium micro-pipes inserted into 7 pre-drilled
holes, providing a consistent micro-orifice diameter. A nom-
inal micro-pipe inner diameter of 0.2 mm was chosen to
provide a pressure drop that could be accurately measured
over the experimental range of interest here (Re = 10 4000).
The test fluid was water, and multiple holes (7 in the present
case) were used to yield a total mass flow rate measurable
with the weighing technique within a practical time period (5-
15 minutes). A schematic diagram of a multi-micro-orifice test
piece is provided in Fig. 1.
The thickness of each test piece, i.e. the length of the
micro-tubes, varied between 0.85-5.4 mm corresponding to a
thickness to diameter ratio of the multi-micro-orifice samples
t/d ranging between 4.25 and 27.0. The geometrical data of
the multi-micro-orifice test samples are provided in Table 1.
The micro-tube inner diameter was measured using a
Keyence VHX-5000 optical microscope at the inlet and outlet
side. Notably, Sample 1 was designed for the purpose of
validating the experimental setup, being directly comparable
MACE PGR Conference University of Manchester, UK, March 26, 2018

Fig. 1. Schematic of multi-micro-orifice test piece Fig. 2. Measured pressure drop vs. total mass flow rate for the multi-micro-
orifices in Table 1
TABLE I
D IMENSIONS OF THE MULTI - MICRO - ORIFICES TESTED .
orifices from Table 1 is plotted versus the total mass flow rate.
Sample Orifices d (µm) t (µm) D (mm) d/D t/d As can be seen from Fig. 2, at low mass flow rate the data show
1 7 200±4 850 9.8 0.02 4.25 a linear dependence of the pressure drop on the mass flow rate,
2 7 200±4 1886 9.8 0.02 9.43 which is typical of creeping flows and laminar flows. With
3 7 200±4 2350 9.8 0.02 11.75 increase of the mass flow rate, however, the measured pressure
4 7 200±4 3000 9.8 0.02 15.00 drop profiles become gradually steeper and the pressure drop
5 7 200±4 3900 9.8 0.02 19.50 approaches a quadratic dependence on the mass flow rate,
6 7 200±4 5400 9.8 0.02 27.00 indicating that the flow is becoming gradually turbulent. The
emergence of turbulence appears gradual and smooth, without
abrupt changes in slope of the measured pressure drop profiles.
with the literature measurements provided by Phares et al. Moreover, the continuous dependence of the pressure drop on
[15], who tested a 0.1 mm diameter stainless-steel micro- the mass flow rate indicates that no cavitation occurred during
orifice with comparable thickness to diameter ratio (t/d=4.24) the tests.
in deionised water at low Reynolds number. The experimental The dimensionless pressure drop K for the multi-micro-
rig used was comparable to that of Cioncolini et al. [12] with orifice samples tested is displayed in Fig. 3 as a function of the
some minor alterations and peripheral additions. The apparatus orifice Reynolds number, together with the current literature
was designed as a once-through system to ensure flow stability, data. For simplicity, the literature data are not differentiated
while feed tube volume was minimised in order to avoid in Fig. 3. The prediction methods of Dagan et al. [14] and
slow transients. The pressure drop across each sample was Cioncolini et al. [12] [13] for low and high orifice Reynolds
measured by one of two Sontay PL-692 differential pressure numbers respectively are also included.
sensors that covered the ranges of 0-250 kPa and 0-20 kPa As can be seen, the measurements for Sample 1 in Fig.
respectively (2% full-scale nominal accuracy). Prior to the 3 (bottom) agree well with the analytical prediction method
tests, both differential pressure sensors were offline calibrated by Dagan et al. [14] and compare rather favourably with the
at a certified metrological laboratory. The mass flow rate data generated by Phares et al. [15] with a micro-orifice of
through the multi-micro-orifice test pieces was adjusted via comparable thickness to diameter ratio, thus validating the
a Swagelok pressure regulator located at the system output, present experimental setup and approach. Interestingly, Sample
and measured using the weighing technique with a KERN 1 data in Fig. 3 (bottom) remain consistent with the creeping
precision balance and a chronometer to within 1% accuracy. flow analytical prediction up to a Reynolds number of 80-90,
All measurements were taken at room temperature, and the which is slightly larger than that of 30-40 observed with the
input water temperature and conductivity were recorded dur- measurements of Phares et al. [15]. However, it is well known
ing each experiment. Values for water density and viscosity that the onset of turbulence is a complicated phenomenon
were calculated accordingly from NIST-REFPROP. Measured that may be difficult to reproduce exactly; consequently, the
values of mass flow and differential pressure were used to slight discrepancy between Sample 1 and the literature data
calculate Reynolds number (Re) and dimensionless pressure is considered acceptable. As can be noticed in Fig. 3, all
drop (K). multi-micro-orifice sample data at low Reynolds number agree
well with the analytical prediction method by Dagan et al.
III. R ESULTS AND D ISCUSSION [14]. This is noteworthy as it proves that this method, which
The raw data obtained during the tests are presented in Fig. was originally proposed for micro-orifices with thickness to
2, where the measured pressure drop across the multi-micro- diameter ratio in the range of 0 ≤ t/d ≤ 2, is actually applicable
MACE PGR Conference
Fig. 3. Dimensionless pressure drop K vs. orifice Reynolds number Re for
the multi-micro-orifice tested here and for the literature data (top); and detail
of Sample 1 results (bottom)
to micro-orifices as thick as t/d=27. The present data can
therefore be used to extend the applicability range of the
Dagan et al. [14] prediction method (1) as follows:
12π 16t
K= (1 + ) f orRe → 0+ and 0 ≤ (t/d) ≤ 27 (3)
Re 3πd
Equation (3) fits the present data up to a Reynolds number
of about 80-90 for Sample 1 and up to Reynolds numbers in
the range of 100-200 for the other samples, suggesting that
the upper limit of validity of the creeping flow approxima-
tion with thick micro-orifices is for Reynolds number up to
about 100-200. All experimental profiles in Fig. 3 that span
from creeping flow to transitional and turbulent flow show
a very smooth and gradual change in slope as the Reynolds
number gradually increases, indicating that the emergence
of turbulence in micro-orifices is gradual and not abrupt.
Moreover, the thickness to diameter ratio that is a controlling
factor for the dimensionless pressure drop in creeping flow
gradually becomes less important as the Reynolds number
is gradually increased, since the experimental profiles for
different thickness to diameter ratios tend to converge. This
suggests that the thickness to diameter ratio could become
of second order importance for high Reynolds number flow,
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University of Manchester, UK, March 26, 2018
although existing evidence only supports this conclusion up to
thickness to diameter ratios of t/d=6-7.
IV. C ONCLUSIONS
Six multi-micro-orifice test pieces with nominal diameter of
200 µm and thickness to diameter ratio ranging between 4.25
and 27.0 were realized and tested with water flow. During the
tests, the Reynolds number ranged between 5 and 4500 thus
spanning creeping flow and laminar to turbulent transitional
flow conditions. The collected pressure drop data at low mass
flow rate showed a linear dependence on the mass flow rate,
which is typical of creeping flows and laminar flows. With
increase of the mass flow rate the measured pressure drop
profiles were found to become gradually steeper, approaching
a quadratic dependence on the mass flow rate that is indicative
of turbulent flow conditions. The emergence of turbulence, as
indirectly deduced from the change in slope of the pressure
drop versus mass flow rate profiles, was found to be grad-
ual and smooth. Using these newly generated micro-orifice
discharge data, the range of applicability of the discharge
prediction method proposed by Dagan et al. [14] for creeping
flow conditions was extended to thick micro-orifices with
thickness to diameter ratio up to 27.0 and Reynolds number
values up to about 100-200.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This work was supported by the Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council [EP/L01663X/1]
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