Empirical modeling of observed microchannel flow [satellite refrigeration plant]

In this work, fluid flow through microchannels is observed and used to build empirical models of fluid flow in microdevices. Forced flow through a microchannel is observed using a confocal microscope. The resulting data are reduced into time series of two dimensional flow fields using image processing techniques. The data can then be used to build an empirical model that can in turn be used to improve a physically based model. The empirical model is a time varying model of the motion of the fluid. Once the model is fit, it can be used as a prognostic equation. In addition, it can also be used to predict responses to new conditions. A comparison of the traditional physical model with the empirical one illuminates the differences in friction factors and attractive forces at these small scales. This process allows us to incorporate the additional forces that become necessary for modeling at extremely small scales into traditional fluid models.