High-Performance Microchannels Development Using Magnetic Stabilization

Creating a large surface area from a packed bed of particles is a necessary step for many packing, chemical, and heat transfer applications. However, the excessive pressure drop across the packed bed is not desirable in many of these applications. This problem can be addressed by using microchannels instead of the packed bed of particles, providing a high heat transfer rate at the acceptable pressure drop range. Microchannels offer a reduced amount of pressure drop due to their ability to introduce a low resistance flow passage while still providing the large surface area for heat and mass transfer. In this study, a magnetic stabilization process was developed to fabricate microchannels from the fine ferrite particles. The experimental hydrodynamic performance evaluation of such structures is described in this paper. This unique microchannel fabrication method can significantly improve thermal and hydrodynamic performance, while providing additional flexibility to control the porosity of the packed bed of particles.