Design Of A Piezoelectric Droplet-On-Demand Generator And Simulation Of A Dropped Package On A Concrete Floor Using Ansys

Author

Yemboado Brayan Lesnik Yonli, Prairie View A&M University

Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Engineering (MSE)

Degree Discipline

Engineering

Abstract

This study at Prairie View A&M University aimed to design a novel droplet generator for microfluidic applications and develop a simulation model to analyze the impact of a free-falling package on the drop tower’s floor.

The journey began with an extensive literature review, leading to the discovery of various droplet production methods. The inkjet method was chosen for this application. Controlling droplet size involves manipulating voltage and nozzle parameters and avoiding liquid dripping by applying negative pressure pulses. Incorporating O-rings prevented liquid leakage at component junctions. Multiple iterations refined the droplet generator, culminating in a liquid chamber and a fluid reservoir.

The second phase involved developing an Ansys simulation model to assess the impact of a 400 lbs package on a foam bed inside a stainless-steel tank within the drop tower. The objective was to ensure the integrity of the floor, foam, tank, and package. Our literature review guided us to adopt the Two-way Fluid-Structure Interaction method, the Explicit Dynamic method, and the Transient Structural Method for the simulation. While Two-way FSI posed challenges due to computational limitations, we persevered.

Explicit Dynamics emerged as the preferred approach for dynamic simulations, involving package velocity determination and foam mechanical property analysis. 3 simulations with varying foam densities and properties were conducted. The initial simulation produced limited data. Subsequent hyper-elastic or viscoelastic foam formulations showed promise despite the package bouncing instead of sinking.

Due to Explicit Dynamics limitations, the Ogden foam model was utilized for 2 Expanded Polypropylene foams in Transient Structural. Although the simulation faced difficulties, this study was a valuable learning experience with potential for further exploration.

In conclusion, this research at PVAMU led to the creation of an innovative droplet generator and an intricate simulation model. While challenges were encountered, the study lays the foundation for future droplet generation and impact simulation investigations.

Committee Chair/Advisor

Yuhao Xu

Committee Member

Ziaul Huque

Committee Member

Paul O. Biney

Committee Member

Jeffrey Streator

Publisher

Prairie View A&M University

Rights

Date of Digitization

10/11/2023

Contributing Institution

John B Coleman Library

City of Publication

Prairie View

MIME Type

Application/PDF

Recommended Citation

Yonli, Y. B. (2023). Design Of A Piezoelectric Droplet-On-Demand Generator And Simulation Of A Dropped Package On A Concrete Floor Using Ansys. Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.pvamu.edu/pvamu-theses/1524