Pressure Drop in Rectangular Microchannels as Compared With Theory Based on Arbitrary Cross Section

Pressure driven liquid flow through rectangular cross-section microchannels is investigated experimentally. Polydimethylsiloxane microchannels are fabricated using soft lithography. Pressure drop data are used to characterize the friction factor over a range of aspect ratios from 0.13 to 0.76 and Reynolds number from 1 to 35 with distilled water as working fluid. Results are compared with the general model developed to predict the fully developed pressure drop in arbitrary cross-section microchannels. Using available theories, effects of different losses, such as developing region, minor flow contraction and expansion, and streaming potential on the measured pressure drop, are investigated. Experimental results compare well with the theory based on the presure drop in channels of arbitrary cross section.