Article,
A numerical study of inkjet refilling
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, 218 (12): 1481--1497 (2004)
DOI: 10.1243/0954406042690533
Abstract
A numerical study is conducted to examine the flow characteristics of the inkjet printer head with special attention made to the refilling process. By solving the full set of three-dimensional transient Navier-Stokes equations and considering the process of bubble growth and collapse as a movable membrane, the fluid flow inside the channel and the ejected droplet from the nozzle can be modelled. The calculated results indicate that the single refilling channel design provides the fastest refilling rate but also reveals pronounced flow surge/overshot phenomena. By using a double refilling channel design, the flow surge/overshot phenomenon can be reduced considerably owing to the imposed friction. Moreover, the flooding phenomenon is much less pronounced. However, placing an additional cylinder obstacle in the single filling channel will not reduce the flow surge/overshot phenomenon.
