Control of capillary flow through porous media has broad practical implications. However, achieving accurate and reliable control of such processes by tuning the pore size or by modification of interface wettability remains challenging. Here we propose that the liquid flow by capillary penetration can be accurately adjusted by tuning the geometry of porous media. Methodologies: On the basis of Darcy’s law, a general framework is proposed to facilitate the control of capillary flow in porous systems by tailoring the geometric shape of porous structures. A numerical simulation approach based on finite element method is also employed to validate the theoretical prediction. Findings: A basic capillary component with a tunable velocity gradient is designed according to the proposed framework. By using the basic component, two functional capillary elements, namely, (i) flow accelerator and (ii) flow resistor, are demonstrated. Then, multi-functional fluidic devices with controllable capillary flow are realized by assembling the designed capillary elements. All the theoretical designs are validated by numerical simulations. Finally, it is shown that the proposed concept can be extended to three-dimensional design of porous media
Advances in the understanding of heat transfer and fluid flow continue to be crucial in achieving improved performance and efficiency in a broad range of mechanical and process plants. The International Journal of Heat and Fluid Flow welcomes high-quality original contributions on experimental, computational, and physical aspects of convective heat transfer and fluid dynamics relevant to engineering or the environment, including multiphase and microscale flows.
Papers reporting the application of these disciplines to design and development, with emphasis on new technological fields, are also welcomed. Some of these new fields include microscale electronic and mechanical systems; medical and biological systems; and thermal and flow control in both the internal and external environment.
The International Journal of Multiphase Flow publishes theoretical and experimental investigations of multiphase flow which are of relevance and permanent interest.Topics appropriate to the journal include fluid mechanics and rheological studies of problems involving:
• multiphase flow and heat transfer
• cavitation phenomena
• slurries (such as ceramics, catalysts, filled polymers, etc.)
• suspensions
• particle-flow interactions
• bubble and drop dynamics
• fluidization
• porous media
The journal includes full papers, brief communications covering reports, current investigations and discussions of previous publications, and conference announcements.
S. Patankar. Series on Computational Methods in Mechanics and Thermal Science Hemisphere Publishing Corporation (CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group), (1980)