Time-dependent model of mixed electroosmotic/pressure-driven three immiscible fluids in a rectangular microchannel (Q2270040)

The time-dependent behavior of a three-liquid stratified flow under influence of pressure gradient and electroosmosis is studied with analytical tools, and the results are applied to test cases of varying liquid properties. A rectangular cross section of the channel is assumed, where a non-conducting fluid is positioned in between two conducting fluids at the top and bottom of the channel, respectively. The fluids are assumed to be immiscible, and the two conducting fluids are used to drive the non-conducting fluid by means of an external electric field. The Poisson-Boltzmann equation, which governs the potential and volume charge density within the fluids with the help of Gauss's law, is linearized for small potentials and solved in the two conducting fluids, given the potentials at the fluid-wall and fluid-fluid interfaces. In the special case of a long channel with constant cross section, the Navier-Stokes equation is linear in the velocity and it can be decomposed into one part where the driving force is the pressure gradient, and one part where the conducting liquids are driven by electroosmosis. The transient term is retained, and by Laplace transforming the equation an analytical solution is calculated, even though the inverse transform is obtained by numerical methods. Velocity profiles due to the pressure-gradient and the electroosmosis forces, respectively, are given for a set of times from the initial acceleration phase up to the steady state. It is shown that a particular set of boundary conditions for the electric potential at the fluid-fluid interfaces result in a counter-intuitive back flow where the velocity vector of the non-conducting fluid points in the opposite direction relative to the conductive liquids'.