Stokes flow paths separation and recirculation cells in X-junctions of varying angle

Fluid and solute transfer in X-junctions between straight channels is shown to depend critically on the junction angle α in the Stokes flow regime. Experimentally, water and a water-dye solution are injected at equal flow rates in two facing channels of the junction. Planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) measurements show that the largest part of each injected fluid "bounces back" preferentially into the outlet channel at the lowest angle to the injection; this is opposite to the inertial case and requires a high curvature of the corresponding streamlines. The proportion of this fluid in the other channel decreases from 50% at α = 90° to 0% at a threshold angle. These counterintuitive features reflect the minimization of energy dissipation for Stokes flows. Finite elements numerical simulations of a 2D Stokes flow of equivalent geometry confirm these results and show that, below the threshold angle αc = 33.8°, recirculation cells are present in the center part of the junction and separate the two injected flows of the two solutions. Reducing further α leads to the appearance of new recirculation cells with lower flow velocities. Fil: Cachile, Mario Andres. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Física. Grupo de Medios Porosos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Talon, L.. Universite de Paris Xi. Laboratoire Automatiques et Systeme Thermiques; Francia Fil: Gomba, Juan Manuel. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Fisica Arroyo Seco; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Hulin, J.P.. Universite de Paris Xi. Laboratoire Automatiques et Systeme Thermiques; Francia Fil: Auradou, H.. Universite de Paris Xi. Laboratoire Automatiques et Systeme Thermiques; Francia