Creating a Microdroplets Flow Using the Levitation Effect

Under certain external conditions, microdroplets of size on the order of10 μm begin to levitate above the heated liquid surface. These droplets are retained by rising convective air flow and can jump across the gas-liquid-solid contact line. The droplets can be collected and redirected for further research applications. In this article, we describe the device created for such generation of microdroplets and the features of its operation. The initial setup was upgraded, and additional cooler was installed. Thus, the number of droplets produced increased several times and their size grew by approximately 50%. Experiments have shown that the device is capable of generating a flow of microdroplets with an average size of 20 to 50 μm with the standard deviation 4 to 12 μm, respectively. The average size and standard deviation increase with increasing heating power. This microdroplet generator can be used in various applications of microfluidics and microbiology.