• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.85-92
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• 2006

A new silicon micro flow sensor with multiple temperature sensing elements was proposed and fabricated in considering wide range flow velocity measuring device. Thermal mass flow sensor measures the asymmetry of temperature profile around the heater which is modulated by the fluid flow. A micro mass flow sensor was normally composed of a central heater and a pair of temperature sensing elements around it. A new 2-D wide range micro flow sensor structure with three pairs of temperature sensing elements and a central heater was proposed and numerically simulated by Finite Difference Formulation to confirm the feasibility of the wide flow range sensor structure. To confirm the simulation result, the new flow sensor was fabricated on silicon substrate and the basic flow sensing properties of the sensor were measured.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.08a
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• pp.305-308
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• 2006

For controlling micro-flows inside a LOC (lab-on-a-chip) a syringe pump or an electronic device for EOF(electro-osmotic flow) have been used in general. However, these devices are so large and heavy that they are burdensome in the development of a portable micro-TAS (total analysis system). In this study, a new flow control system employing pressure chambers, digital switches and speed controllers was developed. This system could effectively control the micro-scale flows inside a LOC without any mechanical actuators or electronic devices We also checked the feasibility of this new control system by applying it to a LOC of micro-mixer type. Performance tests show that the developed control system has very good performance. Because the flow rate in LOC is controlled easily by throttling the speed controller, the flows in complicate microchannels network can be also controlled precisely.

• International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.128-136
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• 2006

The present study examined the effects of micro leading-edge flaps on the vortex characteristic changes of a double-delta wing through pressure measurements of the wing upper surface and PIV measurements of the wing-leeward flow region. The experimental data were collected and analyzed while changing the deflection angle of the leading-edge flaps to investigate the feasibility of using micro leading-edge flaps as flow control devices. The test results revealed that the leading edge modification could greatly alter the vortex flow pattern and the wing surface pressure of the delta wing, which suggested that the leading-edge flaps could be used as an effective device for the control of delta-wing vortex flow.

• 유체기계공업학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.08a
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• pp.301-304
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• 2006

This paper presents a review of the important recent literature available in the area of micro-channel flow analysis and mixing. The topics covered include the physics of flows in micro-channels and integrated simulation of micro-channel flows. Also the flow control models and electro-kinetically driven micro-channel flows are explained. A comparison of various mixing principles in micro-channels are provided in sufficient detail.

• 한국전산유체공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2011.05a
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• pp.494-499
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• 2011

One of the devices to prevent separated flow over a wing or a flap at high angle of attack is a vortex generator. In the present work, we numerically study the flow around a low-profile or micro vortex generator whose height is less than local boundary layer thickness which can delay separation with a minimum drag penalty owing to its very small wetted surface area. As a first step toward a parametric study to efficiently design this MVG flow control system, we simulate the flow around a single MVG on a flat plate. For the simulation, we employ OpenFOAM with Launder-Sharma ${\kappa}$-epsilon model. The analysis results are validated by comparing with experimental results of a rectangular MVG at an angle of attack of 10 degrees whose height is 20% of local boundary layer. Important results and aspects of this numerical study are discussed. We also simulate the flow around rectangular, triangular and trapezoidal MVGs and the results are compared

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.47-51
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• 2003

Microfluidic chips such as lab-on-a-chip (LOC) include micro-channels for sample delivery, mixing, reaction, and separation. Pressure driven flow or electro-osmotic flow (EOF) has been usually employed to deliver bio-samples. Having some advantages of easy control, the flow characteristics of EOF in microchannels should be fully understood to effectively control the electro-osmotic pump for bio-sam-pie delivery. In this study, a micro PIV system with an epifluorescence inverted microscope and a cooled CCD was used to measure velocity fields of EOF in a glass microchannel and a PDMS microchannel. The EOF velocity fields were changed with respect to electric charge of seeding particles and microchannel materials used. The EOF has nearly uniform velocity distribution inside the microchannel when pressure gradient effect is negligible. The mean streamwise velocity is nearly proportional to the applied electric field. Glass microchannels give better repeatability in PIV results, compared with PDMS microchannels which are easy to fabricate and more suitable for PIV experiments.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.573-579
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• 2009

A thermal mass air flow sensor, which consists of a micro-heater and thermal sensors on the silicon-nitride thin membrane structure, is micro-fabricated by MEMS processes. Three thermo-resistive sensors, one for the measurement of microheater temperature, the others for the measurement of membrane temperature upstream and downstream of the micro-heater respectively, are used. The micro-heater is operated under the constant temperature difference mode via a real time controller, based on inlet air temperature. Two design models for microfabricated flow sensor are compared with experimental results and confirmed their applicabilities and limitations. The thermal characteristics are measured to find the best flow indicator. It is found that two normalized temperature indicators can be adopted with some advantages in practice. The flow sensor with this control mode can be adopted for wide capability of high speed and sensitivity in the very low and medium velocity ranges.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.45-50
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• 2005

Electro-osmotic flow (EOF) instability in a microchannel has been experimentally investigated using a micro-PIV system. The micro-PIV system consisting of a two-head Nd:Yag laser and cooled CCD camera was used to measure instantaneous velocity fields and vorticity contours of the EOF instability in a T-shape glass microchannel. The electrokinetic flow instability occurs in the presence of electric conductivity gradients. Charge accumulation at the interface of conductivity gradients leads to electric body forces, driving the coupled flow and electric field into an unstable dynamics. The threshold electric field above which the flow becomes unstable and rapid mixing occurs is about 1000V/cm. As the electric field increases, the flow pattern becomes unstable and vortical motion is enhanced. This kind of instability is a key factor limiting the robust performance of complex electrokinetic bio-analytical devices, but can also be used for rapid mixing and effective flow control fer micro-scale bio-chips.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.154-159
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• 2004

A new microflow rate controller for medical injection was developed and evaluated. The flow rate was controlled by changing the friction depth as well as the friction length of the micro-channel. A precise micro-fabrication of the micro-channel was requested for an accurate flow control. The friction depth was inversely proportional to the friction length, which gives a linear flow control to the channel length. The channel groove was fabricated with a plastic material. A rubber containing silicone oil was covered over the groove, which satisfies both lubrication and leakage prevention. The flow controller was validated by performing the numerical simulation and experiment. A good agreement was shown between computation and experiment.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.479-482
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• 2002

Riblets with longitudinal grooves along the streamwise direction have been used as an effective flow control technique for drag reduction. A flexible micro-riblet with v-grooves of peak-to-peak spacing of $300{\mu}m$ was made using a MEMS fabrication process of PDMS replica. The flexible micro-riblet was attached on the whole surface of a NACA0012 airfoil with which grooves are aligned with the streamwise direction. The riblet surface reduces drag coefficient about $7.9{\%}\;at\;U_o=3.3m/s$, however, it increases drag about $8{\%}\;at\;U_o=7.0m/s$, compared with the smooth airfoil without riblets. The near wake has been investigated experimentally far the cases of drag reduction ($U_o\;=\;3.3 m/s$) and drag increase ($U_o\;=\;7 m/s$). Five hundred instantaneous velocity fields were measured for each experimental condition using the cross-correlation PIV velocity field measurement technique. The instantaneous velocity fields were ensemble averaged to get spatial distribution of turbulent statistics such as turbulent kinetic energy. The experimental results were compared with those of a smooth airfoil under the same flow condition. The micro-riblet surface influences the near wake flow structure largely, especially in the region near the body surface