Simulation and Validation of Droplet Generation Process for Revealing Three Design Constraints in Electrohydrodynamic Jet Printing

Micromachines

Liangcai Zeng¹  Yanqiao Pan¹ 

[1] Key Laboratory of Metallurgical Equipment and Control Technology of Ministry of Education, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, China;

关键词: electrohydrodynamic jet printing;    droplet generation process;    numerical simulation;    experimental validation;    design constraint;    computational fluid dynamics;    multi-physics;   

DOI  :  10.3390/mi10020094

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Droplet generation process can directly affect process regulation and output performance of electrohydrodynamic jet (E-jet) printing in fabricating micro-to-nano scale functional structures. This paper proposes a numerical simulation model for whole process of droplet generation of E-jet printing based on the Taylor-Melcher leaky-dielectric model. The whole process of droplet generation is successfully simulated in one whole cycle, including Taylor cone generation, jet onset, jet break, and jet retraction. The feasibility and accuracy of the numerical simulation model is validated by a 30G stainless nozzle with inner diameter ~160 μm by E-jet printing experiments. Comparing numerical simulations and experimental results, period, velocity magnitude, four steps in an injection cycle, and shape of jet in each step are in good agreement. Further simulations are performed to reveal three design constraints against applied voltage, flow rate, and nozzle diameter, respectively. The established cone-jet numerical simulation model paves the way to investigate influences of process parameters and guide design of printheads for E-jet printing system with high performance in the future.

【 授权许可】

Unknown