Numerical Study of Disperse, Multiphase Microslug Formation at a Microchannel Junction

In this study, we use numerical methods to examine microslug formation via converging flows of a liquid propellant and inert gas at a 4-way 90° microchannel junction. The primary goal of this study is to characterize microslug formation in a microchannel using the level set method to model the multiphase flow. The significance of this work lies in the utilization of the microslug formation phenomena as the basis for a fuel injection system in a novel, discrete monopropellant microthruster design for use in next-generation nano-satellites.