Coiled flow inverter as an inline mixer

Helical coils are widely used in the process industries to improve the mixing efficiency under laminar flow conditions. It was further observed that in the regular helical coils, there exists a confined region in the tube cross-section where fluids are entrapped and can escape only by diffusion. In the present work, an attempt has been made to further enhance the mixing in the coiled tube at low Dean number using the phenomenon of flow inversion. The study is performed in coiled flow inverter (CFI) [Saxena, A.K., Nigam, K.D.P., 1984. Coiled configuration for flow inversion and its effect on residence time distribution. A.I.Ch.E. Journal 30, 363-368] which was developed using the concept of inverting the direction of fluid by 90^°. It comprises coils with equidistant 90^° bends. The scalar mixing of two miscible fluids has been quantified for different process conditions (Dean number, Schmidt number and number of bends) by using scalar transport technique. There was a significant increase in mixing performance of CFI as compared to regular helical coils at low Dean number. The mixing efficiency increased with the increase in Dean number and number of bends. It was also observed that the mixing performance was enhanced with increase in Schmidt number. A new correlation has been proposed for unmixedness coefficient of CFI as a function of Dean number, Schmidt number and number of bends. The proposed correlation has maximum error of ±20% with the numerical predictions.     

Power Law Fluids in a Circular Curved Tube. Part II. Axial Laminar Dispersion

The application of Taylor's dispersion theory to non-Newtonian laminar dispersion in a circular curved pipe wrapped in a coil is discussed. An analytical expression for the dispersion coefficient in laminar flow under two conditions, viz. Dean's constraint and relaxing Dean's constraint, is discussed along with system parameters. The present expression of dispersion coefficient under two different conditions reduces to the reported results in the literature for Newtonian fluids. The effect of power law index in combination with other process parameters on dispersion coefficient is studied. It is found that the dispersion coefficient decreases with decrease in power law index, and that it decreases with increase in Reynolds number and Schmidt number at a fixed curvature ratio.     

气液两相流中顺列管束涡街特性实验研究

对受气液两相流横向冲刷的顺列管束旋涡脱离特性进行了实验研究。实验中通过测量顺列管束所受升力的频谱特性来确定涡街的脱离频率。实验中来流雷诺数的范围为 1.6× 10 4～ 8× 10 4,截面含气率的范围为 0～ 0 .30 ,横向管间距比 T/ D=1.5、 2 .0、 3.0 ,纵向管间距比 P/ D=2 .0、 3.0、 4.0。实验结果揭示了顺列管束涡街特性和斯特罗哈数随含气率、管间距、两相雷诺数的变化规律     

缩放螺旋混合器的实验评价与优化设计

为了增强普通螺旋管的混合效率,在普通的螺旋管结构中引入突放突缩结构,设计制造出缩放螺旋混合 器。以竞争串连反应的离集指数为指标,对缩放螺旋混合器的结构进行了优化设计,考察了缩放螺旋混合器的几何参数--混合单元数、粗细段长度比、螺距、曲率半径以及Reynolds数对混合器的混合效率的影响。结果表 明:缩放螺旋混合器的粗细段长度比为1/4,曲率半径为10.5 mm,混合单元数为40,Reynolds数在1000～1575时混合效率最佳;参数优化后的缩放螺旋混合器比普通螺旋管混合器以及具有缩放结构的直管混合器中的混合效率更高。     

Pinched tube flow reactor: Hydrodynamics and suitability for exothermic multiphase reactions

A novel tubular flow reactor where a straight tube is modified by pinching it periodically at a fixed pitch and at different angles is presented. Pinched tubes (straight tube as well as helical coils) with different pitch and angles between successive pinching are studied. This work reports a detailed hydrodynamic study involving single and two‐phase flow. Mixing experiments showed that having an angle of 90° between successive pinchs achieves the shortest mixing length when compared to lower angles. Pressure recovery along with sequence of high and low shear zones and change of flow direction imposed better mixing. Residence time distribution studies showed that higher number of pinch sections decreases the extent of dispersion, yet it deviates from plug flow. The performance is evaluated by carrying a homogeneous and two‐phase aromatic nitration and also liquid‐liquid extraction. Pinched tube presents an economical option as a flow reactor for conducting exothermic reactions. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 358–365, 2017     

扭曲管强化传热性能实验研究

在设计的蒸汽-水换热实验台上测试了5种不同导程的椭圆扭曲管和圆管的传热和流动阻力性能.分别对5种不同导程的扭曲管和圆管管内流体努赛尔数,摩擦系数和管内综合评价因子随雷诺数变化情况进行了对比.实验结果表明:扭曲管的强化传热性能明显,且导程越小,强化传热效果越好.在实验测试的雷诺数范围内,扭曲管的努塞尔数为光滑圆管的1.0...     

气液两相绕流错列管束升力特性的数值模拟

采用混合物模型和RNGk-c紊流模型对气液两相绕流错列圆柱管束升力特性进行了数值模拟。重点研究了节距比、含气率和雷诺数对升力功率谱的影响。结果表明：节距比增大,功率谱峰值增加,节距比为1．5时中间管排出现“双稳态现象”;含气率增加,功率谱峰值减小直至没有峰值,涡街消失;雷诺数增加,功率谱峰值减小;下游圆柱功率谱峰值较中间管排峰值大。模拟结果与实验结果基本吻合,旋涡脱落频率误差为1．03％。     

FULLY DEVELOPED LAMINAR FLOW IN A HELICAL TUBE OF FINITE PITCH

An alternate development of a non-orthogonal coordinate system that is useful in studying fluid flow in helical tubes in the limit of large pitch is presented. It is based on a rotating cartesian system of coordinates. An analytical solution is developed for the creeping flow limit in such tubes. Also the complete equations of motion are solved numerically for a set of parameter values (viz. pitch, radius of coil and aspect ratio) that yield an approximate square in the direction along the central helix. The ratio of the friction factor of a square helical tube to that of a square straight tube has been correlated through the use of the flow helical number.     

FULLY DEVELOPED LAMINAR FLOW IN A HELICAL TUBE OF FINITE PITCH

An alternate development of a non-orthogonal coordinate system that is useful in studying fluid flow in helical tubes in the limit of large pitch is presented. It is based on a rotating cartesian system of coordinates. An analytical solution is developed for the creeping flow limit in such tubes. Also the complete equations of motion are solved numerically for a set of parameter values (viz. pitch, radius of coil and aspect ratio) that yield an approximate square in the direction along the central helix. The ratio of the friction factor of a square helical tube to that of a square straight tube has been correlated through the use of the flow helical number.     

Numerical prediction of wall mass transfer rates in turbulent flow through a 90° two-dimensional bend

The present paper reports a numerical study of mass transfer in a curved channel flow using a low Reynolds number k–ε model modified to include the influence of curvature on the turbulent transport. Predictions were obtained of flow through a 90° 2-D bend for Reynolds numbers of Re = 2 × 10⁴, 10⁵ and 10⁶, curvature ratio's of R_c/d = 1, 1.5 and 3, and Schmidt numbers of Sc = 500, 1 500 and 5 000. Based on the numerial simulations, the value of the mass transfer coefficient, k, was observed to generally decrease and increase along the inner and outer walls, respectively, compared to the value in a straight duct. The behaviour appears to be sensitive to both the curvature ratio and Reynolds number, being most pronounced for the case of tight bends and low Reynolds numbers.     

Numerical investigation on flow and heat transfer characteristics of corrugated tubes with non-uniform corrugation in turbulent flow

Based on finite volume method, the pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of one smooth tube and ten different axisymmetric corrugated tubes, including two with uniform corrugation and eight with non-uniform corrugation, have been studied. A physical model of the corrugated tube was built, then the numerical simulation of the model was carried out and the numerical simulation results were compared with the empirical formula.The results show that: the friction factor decreases with the increase of Reynolds number ranging from 6000 to 57000, the value of which in the corrugated tubes with non-uniform corrugation(tube 03–10) are smaller than those with uniform corrugation(tube 01–02). The geometry parameters of tube(01) have advantages on the heat transfer enhancement in low Reynolds number flow region(from 6000 to 13000) and tube(07–08)have advantages on the heat transfer enhancement in high Reynolds number flow region(from 13000 to 57000). The vortex, existed in each area between two adjacent corrugations called second flow region, is the root of the enhancement on heat transfer in the corrugated tubes. The effectiveness factor decreases with the increasing of Reynolds number and the performances of the corrugated tubes with pitch of 12.5 mm have advantages than these of 10 mm under the same corrugation geometric parameter.     

Evaluation of the mixing performance of three passive micromixers

This work presents a numerical investigation on mixing and flow structures in microchannels with different geometries: zig-zag; square-wave; and curved. To conduct the investigation, geometric parameters, such as the cross-section of the channel, channel height, axial length of the channel, and number of pitches, are kept constant for all three cases. Analyses of mixing and flow fields have been carried out for a wide range – 0.267–267 – of the Reynolds number. Mixing in the channels has been analyzed by using Navier–Stokes equations with two working fluids, water and ethanol. The results show that the square-wave microchannel yields the best mixing performance, and the curved and the zig-zag microchannels show nearly the same performance for most Reynolds number. For all three cases, the pressure drop has been calculated for channels with equal streamwise lengths. The curved channel exhibits the smallest pressure drop among the microchannels, while the pressure drops in the square-wave and zig-zag channels are approximately the same.     

Power Law Fluids in a Circular Curved Tube. Part III. Numerical Simulation of Laminar Flow

The equations of motion and continuity of a fully developed, steady-state, isothermal, incompressible laminar flow of power law fluids within a toroidal-type coiled tube geometry have been solved numerically using the successive overrelaxation method. Numerical solutions have been obtained for curvature ratios from 5 to 100, Dean number from 1 to 300, and power law index from 0.5 to 1.5. Dean's constraint has been relaxed and the numerical solutions for primary and secondary flow, and the numerical results of the friction factor for different values of Dean number, curvature ratio, and power law index have been computed. The solutions have been carefully checked for accuracy and the results are compared with previous studies. The numerical results are found to be consistent with the published results for the case of Newtonian fluids. The ratio of friction factor of a curved tube to a straight tube increases with the Dean number and also with the power law index.     

Determination of the mixing performance of sulzer SMV static mixers by laser induced fluorescence

Local concentrations are measured at the outlet of different configurations of Sulzer SMV static mixers placed in a tube. Laser Induced Fluorescence is the non intrusive technique used to measure mean and RMS concentrations. The two fluids mixed are miscible and the flow regime is turbulent. The influence of the number of elements, their position and the ratio between the velocities of the two compounds on the mixing is studied. The results show that these parameters are important for the quality of mixing. The velocity ratio influences the radial mixing, while the mixing length depends on the number and position of the elements.     

扭曲扁管在蒸发器中的运行特性实验研究

对扭曲扁管与普通直管在蒸发器工况下的传热、流动阻力和污垢特性进行了对比实验研究。实验采用45 mm×3 mm的普通直管和由同种直管制成的扭曲扁管,扭曲扁管导程St分别为450,550,650 mm。通过实验,研究了Re和St对各特性的影响。结果表明,在实验Re数条件下,管壁污垢热阻增长呈渐近线型特性,扭曲扁管渐近污垢热阻为直管的0.15—0.29倍,流动阻力系数为直管的1.48—1.63倍。实验还得出,实验扭曲扁管的强化传热作用随着St减小而增大,扭曲扁管的传热系数在洁净状态下为直管的1.29—1.51倍,在运行8 h后,由于扭曲扁管具有较强的抑垢作用,传热系数趋近为直管的1.96—2.79倍。     

GRAVITATIONAL SETTLING OF SUSPENDED PARTICLES FROM A FULLY DEVELOPED FLOW IN A CURVED TUBE

The gravitational settling of monodisperse particles from fully developed laminar flow in a horizontal curved tube is considered. The particle size is small compared with the tube radius, and their concentration is small so that they do not interact with each other or affect the flow. It was found that for sufficiently heavy particles, or for tubes with very small curvature, or for very small flow Reynolds numbers, the settling to the tube surface versus axial distance is much the same as that for a straight tube. However, for the opposite size of these parameters, the settling behavior becomes much different than that of a straight tube. Particles are maintained in the flow in helical spiral motions and do not settle to the tube surface.     

Mixing performance of a planar micromixer with circular obstructions in a curved microchannel

A numerical investigation of the mixing and fluid flow in a new design of passive micromixer employing several cylindrical obstructions within a curved microchannel is presented in this work. Mixing in the channels is analyzed using Navier–Stokes equations and the diffusion equation between two working fluids (water and ethanol) for Reynolds numbers from 0.1 to 60. The proposed micromixer shows far better mixing performance than a T-micromixer with circular obstructions and a simple curved micromixer. The effects of cross-sectional shape, height, and placement of the obstructions on mixing performance and the pressure drop of the proposed micromixer are evaluated.     

Experimental study on thermo-hydraulic performances of nanofluids flowing through a corrugated tube filled with copper foam in heat exchange systems

Thermo-hydraulic characteristics of TiO₂-water nanofluids in thin-wall stainless steel test tubes (corrugated tube and circular tube) filled with copper foam (40 PPI) are experimentally investigated and compared with those in test tubes without copper foam. The effects of nanoparticle mass concentration on flow and heat transfer performances are investigated. In addition, the mutual restriction relationships between Reynolds number (Re), Nusselt number (Nu) and resistance coefficient (f) are discussed respectively. Also, the comprehensive coefficient of performance (CCP) between heat transfer and pressure drop is evaluated. The results show that core-enhancement region for heat transfer using experimental tubes filled with copper foam is notably different from that of tubes without copper foam. There is a corresponding Reynolds number (about Re=2400) for the maximum CCP of each condition. And the heat transfer can be enhanced dramatically and sustained at 8000 ≤ Re ≤ 12000.     

AlCl3-异丙醇络合催化1-十二碳烯烃与环己烯共聚反应的研究

聚烯烃润滑油是重要的合成润滑油之一。采用AlCl3作催化剂对环己烯与1-十二烯烃的共聚反应进行了研究。考察了催化剂AlCl3的用量、n(异丙醇)∶n(AlCl3)、反应温度和反应时间对产品收率的影响。确定了最佳工艺条件,即x(AlCl3)=4%,n(异丙醇)∶n(AlCl3)=0.5,反应温度50～60℃,反应时间6h。在最佳工艺条件下,调节环己烯与1-十二碳烯的混合比例进行了实验,研究了产品的物化性能。实验结果表明:采用n(1-十二烯烃)∶n(环已烯)=2∶1时,可以合成100℃粘度为6.10mm2/s,粘度指数为157,凝点为-35℃的聚烯烃合成油,收率为86%。具有粘度低、凝点低、粘度指数高的显著特点,是高质量的聚烯烃合成油。     

A numerical study of mixing in a microchannel with circular mixing chambers

The mixing of fluids in a microchannel is numerically investigated using three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations. The microchannel has circular mixing chambers that are designed to create a self-circulating flow that operates at low Reynolds numbers. The investigations have been performed on a design that comprises of four circular mixing chambers that are joined together with constriction channels. The study has been carried out in two parts. Firstly, the mixing and the flow field are analyzed for a wide range (1–250) of the Reynolds number. Secondly, the effects of two design parameters, namely, the ratio, w/d, of the width of the constriction channel to the diameter of the circular chamber, and the angle, θ, between the outer walls of the chamber and the connection channel, on the mixing and the flow field have been evaluated. The mixing has been evaluated using a parameter, called mixing index, which is based on the variance of the mass fraction. The mixing index at the end of the device increases rapidly with the Reynolds number. The presence of a flow recirculation zone in the circular chamber is found to be effective in enhancing mixing, especially for larger Reynolds numbers. The mixing performance improves with an increase in θ, and with a decrease in w/d. The characteristics of the pressure drop have also been investigated as a function of the Reynolds number and geometric parameters. © 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2009