Logo image
Thermal Imaging of Microfluidic Systems as a Model for Investigating Energy Efficiency
Conference proceeding

Thermal Imaging of Microfluidic Systems as a Model for Investigating Energy Efficiency

Michael G. Mauk, Richard Y. Chiou, Dharma T. Varapula, Pranav Ram Kamarajugadda, Changchun Liu and Tzu-Liang (Bill) Tseng
THERMOSENSE: THERMAL INFRARED APPLICATIONS XXXVII, v 9485, pp 94851D-94851D-12
01 Jan 2015

Abstract

Engineering Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Optics Physical Sciences Physics Physics, Applied Science & Technology Technology
We explore the use of a commercial thermal imaging infrared camera (7-12 micron, uncooled microbolometer array, 320 x 240 resolution) to characterize microfluidic devices with the aims of: 1) evaluating the usefulness of thermal imaging to assess various flow configurations with respect to heat transfer, and 2) developing educational laboratory projects combining rapid prototyping, thermal imaging, microfluidics, and heat transfer. We investigated concurrent and countercurrent heat exchangers, mixing streams of different temperature (cold and hot water), mixing streams yielding a heat of mixing (ethanol and water), mixing streams yielding a heat of reaction (acid-base neutralization), and freezing and heating flowing streams in channels with a Peltier module. Energy efficiency can be assessed to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of microfluidic designs. Substantial improvements in mixing and heat transfer using a magnetic stirrer are demonstrated with thermal imaging.

Metrics

9 Record Views

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This publication has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Optics
Physics, Applied
Logo image