Bubble Formation in Microfluidic Chambers

Applied Biosystems Engineering, 2004-05

Liaison(s): Umberto Ulmanella
Advisor(s): Mary Cardenas, Jon Jacobsen
Students(s): Jacob Pinheiro (TL), Angela Cho, Don Lee, James O’Grady (S), Michaela Reagan (F), Mele Sato

The study of microfluidics is a growing discipline in fluid engineering, with many applications in medical and pharmaceutical industries. In these applications, the formation of bubbles in microfluidic reaction chambers is a major problem. A parametric study of the factors influencing bubble formation was completed through extensive experimentation and analysis. Computer simulations were compared with experimental results, with a mathematical model of bubble formation as the objective.