Entrance effects in the channels of the parallel plate stack in oscillatory flow conditions

This paper considers an entrance flow into the channels formed by a stack of parallel plates, placed in an acoustic resonator that provides oscillatory flow forcing. Interesting complex flow phenomena around the extremity of the stack are observed, essentially due to the introduction of cross-sectional discontinuities: vortex formation and shedding during the fluid ejection from the channels and development of an entrance flow during the suction phase, when the fluid enters the channels from outside. It is the latter that is of particular interest in this study. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) is used to investigate the flow structures in the “entrance region”. Velocity profiles are measured as a function of phase angle within an oscillation period and the distance from the stack end into the channel. Using the data obtained, an “entrance length” defined by analogy with existing fluid mechanical definitions, is estimated. The experiments are supplemented by CFD calculations to improve the understanding of such entrance flows.