Three-dimensional transient free surface flow into micro-channels was
investigated both numerically and experimentally in this study. For the
accurate modeling of interfacial movement, the developed fringe element
reconstruction method was applied for handling not only an accurate
treatment of material discontinuity but also surface tension across the
interface and the contact angle at the contact line. The effect of surface
tension was modeled by imposing tensile stress directly on the constructed
surface elements at the flow front interface and the contact angle effect was
considered by applying a capillary force directly to contact lines. The flow
field was calculated by applying a mixed formulation based on a P1+/P1
tetrahedral element. Three channels which have similar planar geometrical
shapes with the same thickness in three different dimensions were
manufactured to observe the characteristics of micro-channel flow. The
numerical results compared well to the experimental results in terms of the
predicted shapes and positions of flow fronts.