不同三维微通道中被动混合特性的研究

Based on the transport phenomena theory, the passive mixing of water and ethanol in different three-dimensional microchannels is simulated numerically. The average variance of water volume fraction is used to index the mixing efficiency in the cases with different Reynolds number and different fabricated mixers. The results show that the efficiency of liquid mixing is progressively dependent on the convective transport as the Reynolds number increases. The efficiency of serpentine microchannel decreases with the increasing Reynolds number in the laminar regime. Altering the aspect ratio of channel inlet section has no significant effect on the mixing efficiency. Increasing the area of channel inlet section will cause the decrease of the mixing efficiency. The mixing in serpentine channels is the most efficient among three different mixers because of the existence of second flow introduced by its special structure.     

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     

Dimensional analysis for planetary mixer: Mixing time and Reynolds numbers

Mixing time number is a convenient parameter to characterize mixing performance of stirred tanks. This dimensionless number is now well established for agitated vessels equipped with vertically and centrally mounted impeller for Newtonian as well as for non-Newtonian fluids. To our knowledge, there is more ambiguity concerning its definition for planetary mixers especially when they have dual motion (around two perpendicular axes) to achieve homogenization. In this study, dimensional analysis of mixing time and reliability of the modified Reynolds and mixing time numbers are proposed for such a planetary mixer particularly named as TRIAXE^® system. These two numbers are based on the maximum tip speed of mixer as the characteristic velocity. Modified dimensionless numbers are consistent with the definition of conventional Reynolds and mixing numbers (when only one revolving motion around the vertical axis of the mixing device occurs in the vessel).Mixing time experiments with TRIAXE^® mixer for highly viscous Newtonian fluids showed that the proposed modified Reynolds and mixing time numbers succeeded to obtain a unique mixing curve irrespective of the different speed ratio chosens. This agreement proves that the proposed modified dimensionless numbers can be well adapted for engineering purposes and they can be used to compare the mixing performance of planetary mixers.     

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.     

Design and characterization of a Low-pressure-drop static mixer

Four-blade static mixer was designed for inline mixing of Newtonian fluids at Reynolds numbers from 700 to 6800. The mixer consists of four equally spaced blades mounted on cylindrical housing with 45° rotation relative to the circumference. It was tested in three different compartments of 6, 8, and 10 mixing elements; each element rotated 45° relative to the adjacent one. Multipoint sampling was used to measure concentration downstream the mixer. The mixing quality was measured by the coefficient of variance (CoV). The CoV decreases as the energy input per unit mass increases. This effect is more pronounced when the number of mixing elements increases. For the case of 10 mixing elements, a good mixing performance (typically more than 95% mixedness or CoV < 0.05) achieved, although a marginally good mixing performance could also be achieved by eight mixing elements. The friction factors were correlated as f = C₁/Re + C₂/Reⁿ with an average deviation of ±10% from experimental data. Furthermore, experimental friction factors were compared with existing models. For a wide range of Reynolds numbers, the friction factors are apparently smaller than those from SMV, KMX, and baffle-type static mixers. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 65: 1126–1133, 2019     

一种基于特斯拉阀结构的微混合器设计、模拟及其试验研究

微混合器是常见的用于流体混合的设备,由于特斯拉阀结构简单稳定,流动方式特殊,具有开发微混合器的潜质。本文通过数值模拟的方法,在特斯拉阀结构以及前期研究的基础上,改进并优化了一种特斯拉型的微混合器,利用流体力学软件（Fluent）研究了不同θ角度以及不同雷诺数下的混合程度,并对该结构的混合效果进行了流场分析以及试验验证。结果表明,该新型微混合器的最佳几何参数为θ=30°。两股流体在Re=52.5、混合长度为50mm时,混合程度η=0.9647,体系压降为330.45Pa。该微混合器的操作压降较低,相对于先前结构,混合性能更好,混合长度更短。     

Liquid–liquid mixing using micro-fluidised beds

This study experimentally investigates the application of a solid–liquid micro-fluidised bed as a micro-mixing device. The experiments were performed in a borosilicate capillary tube with an internal diameter of 1.2 mm (i.e. near the upper-limit dimension of a micro-fluidic system) using borosilicate particles with a mean diameter of 98 μm. Refractive index matching technique using sodium iodide solution was employed to achieve a transparent fluidised bed. Mixing performance of the micro-fluidised bed in terms of mixing time was investigated using a dye dilution technique. Experiments were carried out in the creeping flow regime at Reynolds numbers ranging between 0.27 and 0.72. It was demonstrated that the micro-fluidised bed mixing time sharply decreases as the Reynolds number increases. That is because at relatively high Reynolds numbers, the particle oscillation is stronger creating larger disturbances in the flow. The energy dissipation rate in micro fluidised bed was estimated to be four orders of magnitude less than other passive micro mixers which operate in the turbulent regime. It was also demonstrated that the ratio of mixing time and the energy dissipation rate for fluidised bed micro-mixer was comparable to K-M, Tangential IMTEK, and interdigital micro-mixers. However, the fluidised bed micro-mixer was found to operate at much lower Reynolds numbers compared to other passive mixers, with a mixing time of the order of few seconds.     

Power Requirement for Mixing Shear‐Thinning Fluids with a Planetary Mixer

The optimal control of processes dealing with non‐Newtonian liquids requires the knowledge and control of the power demand of the mixing equipment. In this context, an extension of the Metzner and Otto concept to planetary mixers is proposed to adapt this concept to planetary mixers. The theoretical part of this work defines modified expressions of Reynolds and power numbers. These definitions introduce a characteristic velocity u_ch that is used to define the parameter K_s. A planetary mixer is employed to experimentally ascertain this guideline. Power consumption measurements carried out by mixing shear‐thinning fluids permit to determine the K_s factor. This factor varies only slightly with the flow behavior index and may be regarded as a defined constant for this geometry. Finally, experiments with an additional shear‐thickening fluid confirm the validity of this approach.     

Agitation of Herschel–Bulkley fluids with the Scaba–anchor coaxial mixers

The design of the coaxial mixers depends on many interrelated parameters including the geometry and dimensions of the mixing vessel, the location and type of the impellers, speed ratio, impeller diameter, rotation mode, and fluid rheology. No study has been reported in the literature regarding the mixing performance of the coaxial mixers in the agitation of yield-pseudoplastic fluids. Thus, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of a Scaba–anchor coaxial mixer (a novel configuration) in the mixing of xanthan gum solutions (yield-pseudoplastic fluids). The Herschel–Bulkley model was used to describe the rheological behavior of the xanthan gum solutions. To develop new correlations for the generalized Reynolds and power numbers of the coaxial mixers employed in the agitation of this class of non-Newtonian fluids, we utilized numerous experimental and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) data. The new correlations were tested successfully at different operating conditions (e.g. speed ratio, fluid rheology, and operation mode).     

RESIDENCE TIME DISTRIBUTION OF RHEOLOGICALLY COMPLEX FLUIDS PASSING THROUGH A SULZER SMX STATIC MIXER

Static mixers are widely used in continuous mixing, heat and mass transfer processes and chemical reactions. However, a proper understanding of the flow pattern is still missing when rheologically complex fluids are involved. This paper presents a study of the Residence Time Distribution (RTD) determination in a Sulzer SMX static mixer. A two-parameter RTD model, based on each mixing element, was proposed to describe the flow pattern of rheologically complex fluids in a such mixer. It was shown that in this model the flowrate fraction across the plug flow component increases with the generalized Reynolds number. However, the volumetric fraction of the plug flow component depends not only on the generalized Reynolds number, but also on the number of mixing elements, apparently due to memory effects of viscoelastic fluids.     

Mixing for reaction injection molding. I. Impingement mixing of liquids

The performance of confined impinging jet mixers, commonly used in reaction injection molding, was investigated. A theory is presented which assumes that large scale mixing is always adequate, provided the mixer operates in turbulent flow, and argues that the scale of segregation of the final mixture should depend on the size of the smallest eddies of the turbulent motion. The theory predicts that a length scale describing the quality of the mixture will decrease like the nozzle Reynolds number to the ?3/4 power. Flow visualization experiments were used to find the point of transition to turbulent mixing flow. This transition occurs at a nozzle Reynolds number of 140 for directly opposed nozzles and at higher Reynolds numbers for nozzles angled downstream. Other geometric factors have little influence on the transition point. Quantitative mixing experiments using model fluids support the theory. Momentum ratio is shown to have no effect on mixing quality.     

声场驱动气泡增强微流体混合的数值模拟

微流体研究中，由于雷诺数较低，流体呈层流流动，流体混合主要依靠分子扩散，混合时间长，效率低，故流体混合成为亟待解决的问题。声场激振气泡可以有效促进流体混合，已经引起了广泛关注。本文模拟研究了声场作用下气泡振动对流体混合的影响，探索了微尺度流体在声场激振下的流动特性，分析了微通道高度、入口速度、气泡间距及布置方式对流体混合的影响。结果发现，微通道高度较低时，气泡振动可以更好地促进流体混合；入口速度较小时，流体在气泡附近滞留时间较长，混合较为均匀；气泡半径较大时，旋涡扰动增强，混合效率提高；两个气泡的混合效果优于单个气泡，而气泡间距对混合效率基本无影响；微通道高度较低时，气泡同侧布置和异侧布置对流体的混合效果相接近，随着微通道高度的升高，两种布置方式对混合效果的差异逐渐显现，异侧布置具有更好的混合效果。     

A numerical study of mixing intensification for highly viscous fluids in multistage rotor–stator mixers

How to achieve uniform mixing of highly viscous fluids with low energy consumption is a major industry demand and one of the hot spots of mixing research. A typical multistage rotor-stator mixer (MRSM) equipped with a distributor was investigated to disclose the effects on the mixing performance and power consumption for highly viscous fluids via numerical simulation, considering the influence factors associated with different geometric parameters of both MRSM and the distributor. The mixing index and power consumption are used to evaluate the performance of the mixers. The dimensionless correlations for the mixing index and the power consumption are established considering the factors including the flow rate, rotor speed, the number of mixing units. Adopting the optimized mixer with the distributor (X1-T1), the mixing index increases to 0.85 (obviously higher than 0.46 for the mixer T1 without a distributor), meanwhile the corresponding power consumption is about 1/5 of that of T1 achieving the same mixing effect. It illustrates that the distributor can significantly improve the mixing of highly viscous fluids in the MRSM without the cost of large power consumption. These results would provide a guidance on the design and optimization of multistage rotor-stator mixers in industrial applications.     

Comparative analysis of different static mixers performance by CFD technique: An innovative mixer

The flow and mixing behavior of two miscible liquids has been studied in an innovative static mixer by using CFD,with Reynolds numbers ranging from 20 to 160. The performance of the new mixer is compared with those of Kenics, SMX, and Komax static mixers. The pressure drop ratio(Z-factor), coefficient of variation(CoV), and extensional efficiency(α) features have been used to evaluate power consumption, distributive mixing, and dispersive mixing performances, respectively, in all mixers. The model is firstly validated based on experimental data measured for the pressure drop ratio and the coefficient of variation. CFD results are consistent with measured data and those obtained by available correlations in the literature. The new mixer shows a superior mixing performance compared to the other mixers.     

Characterization of mixing in an optimized designed T-T mixer with cylindrical elements

Passive micromixers are preferred over active mixers for many microfluidic applications due to their relative ease in integration into complex systems and operational flexibility. They also incur very low cost of manufacturing. However, the degree of mixing is comparatively low in passive mixers than active mixers due to the absence of disturbance in the flow by external forces and the inherent laminar nature of microchannel flows. Various designs of complex channel structures and three-dimensional geometries have been investigated in the past to obtain an efficient mixing in passive mixers. But the studies on mixing enhancement with simple planar geometries of passive mixers have been few and limited. The present work aims to investigate the possibility of mixing enhancement by employing simple planar type designs, such as T-mixer and T-T mixer with cylindrical elements placed in the mixing channel. The mixing performance has been evaluated in the Reynolds number range of 6 to 700. Numerical results have shown that T-T mixer with cylindrical elements performed significantly well and obtained very good mixing quality over basic T-mixer for the entire range of Reynolds number (6 to 700). The device has also shown better mixing as compared to basic T-T mixer and T-mixer with cylindrical elements. A larger pair of vortices formed in the stagnation area due to the presence of a cylindrical element in the junction. Cylindrical elements downstream caused significant enhancement in mixing due to splitting and recombining action. The size of the cylindrical element in the T-T mixer has been optimized to obtain better mixing performance of the device. Remarkable improvement in mixing quality by T-T mixer with cylindrical elements has been obtained at the expense of small rise in pressure drop as compared to other passive designs considered in this study. Therefore, the current design of T-T mixer with cylindrical elements can act as an effective and simple passive mixing device for various micromixing applications.     

Reynolds number effects in a simple planetary mixer

Planetary mixers are widely used in a diverse range of industrial applications. This paper presents an experimental investigation of mixing in a planetary mixer, and a comparison with numerical simulations based on a simple mathematical model of the flow. The model allows an exact expression for the velocity field in the Stokes flow regime, apparently the first for a mixer with genuinely moving parts, which permits accurate numerical tracking of material interfaces. Experiments performed at low Reynolds number (Re?1) show good agreement with corresponding numerical simulations, but as the Reynolds number is increased, the agreement between experiments and Stokes-flow numerics worsens, in a manner that reflects improving experimental mixing quality. Specifically, we find that islands of poor mixing shrink as Re increases. Our results suggest that, while numerical simulations in the Stokes flow regime may be used as a ‘sieve’ to select good mixing protocols at small Re, experiments or computational fluid dynamics simulations are required properly to evaluate mixing protocols operated at finite Reynolds numbers.     

Crosswise ridge micromixers with split and recombination helical flows

This study presents a novel crosswise ridge micromixer (CRM) with a series of microstructures placed on the top and bottom floors of channels. Passive micromixers fabricated by Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) technologies with slanted ridges are investigated. Numerical simulations and experimental investigations are undertaken to determine the effects of various microstructure patterns on mixing efficiency with Reynolds numbers (Re) of 0.05–50. The confocal images at the cross-sections along the channel with ridges on both the channel top and bottom are first investigated in our study. A significant amount of split and recombination (SAR) helical flows is produced by the slanted ridges embedded on the two floors of the channels. The effects of non-dimensional parameters, such as the Re, as well as geometrical parameters on mixing performance are presented in terms of the mixing index. When the Re exceeds 1, the mixing index of the micromixer with slanted ridges increases as the Re increases further. Simulation results are presented and compared with experimental data. The trends of the experimental results and numerical data are very similar. Finally, various numbers of slanted ridges in the same orientation in one channel cycle are investigated to determine mixing performance in microchannels. The mixing performance achieves an optimum value in case where the number of ridges per cycle is equal to 8.     

Computational analysis of the flow of pseudoplastic power-law fluids in a microchannel plate

The flow of pseudoplastic power-law fluids with different flow indexes at a microchannel plate was studied using computational fluid dynamic simulation.The velocity distribution along the microchannel plate and especially in the microchannel slits,flow pattern along the outlet arc and the pressure drop through the whole of microchannel plate were investigated at different power-law flow indexes.The results showed that the velocity profile in the microchannel slits for low flow index fluids was similar to the plug flow and had uniform pattern.Also the power-law fluids with lower flow indexes had lower stagnation zones near the outlet of the microchannel plate.The pressure drop through the microchannel plate showed huge differences between the fluids.The most interesting result was that the pressure drops for power-law fluids were very smaller than that of Newtonian fluids.In addition,the heat transfer of the fluids through the microchannel with different channel numbers in a wide range of Reynolds number was investigated.For power-law fluid with flow index (n =0.4),the Nusselt number increases continuously as the number of channels increases.The results highlight the potential use of using pseudoplastic fluids in the microheat exchangers which can lower the pressure drop and increase the heat transfer efflciency.     

Numerical and Experimental Study on Mixing in Chaotic Micromixers with Crossing Structures

Two chaotic micromixers (Models A and B) based on the split-and-recombine principle using multilayer microchannels are proposed and the mixing performance was analyzed numerically and experimentally for a wide range of Reynolds numbers. The fluid flow and mixing performance were numerically analyzed by solving Navier-Stokes equations. Micromixers were fabricated using a soft-lithography technique. As working fluids, water and a dye/water mixture were used. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed using confocal scanning microscopy and image processing techniques. The micromixers could enhance the mixing performance by expanding the interfaces between the working fluids to be mixed. The results confirm the superior mixing index of Model B compared to that of Model A.     

Residence Time and Concentration Distribution in a Kenics Static Mixer

Static mixers, often referred to as motionless mixers, are in-line mixing devices that consist of mixing elements inserted into a length of pipe. Most of the experimental works in this field have concentrated on establishing design guidelines and pressure drop correlations. Due to experimental difficulties, few articles have been published on the investigation of the flow and mixing mechanisms. In this work, a Kenics KMX static mixer was utilized to study concentration and residence time distribution (RTD) and effect of Reynolds number on mixing. The static mixer had six mixing elements arranged in-line along the length of the tube, and the angle between two neighboring elements was 90°. The length of the mixer was 0.98 m with internal and external diameters of 5.0 cm and 6.0 cm, respectively. The main continuous fluid was water, and NaCl solution was used as a tracer. All experiments were conducted with three replications at three Reynolds numbers, Re = 1188.71, 1584.95, and 1981.19. A dispersion model was used to model the RTD data. The experimental results were compared with the model results and reasonable agreement was achieved.