CFD simulation of liquid flow characteristics in a rotor-stator spinning disc reactor

Abstract

In this work, the CFD approach is employed to analyse the liquid hydrodynamic behaviour in the rotor-stator spinning disc reactor (RSSDR). The effect of rotational speed (N) and volume flow rate (Q) on the liquid-liquid flow pattern and its transition are investigated. It is found that there are two typical flow pattern (film flow and filament flow) observed in the RSSDR. Increasing N and decreasing Q turn the film flow into the filament flow. The flow pattern criterion for transition of filament flow to film flow is also obtained. The simulation data show a good agreement with our previous published experimental results. In addition, the influence of N and Q on liquid holdup rate (ε) and liquid velocity distribution in the RSSDR are also studied. The results show that ε keeps stable and then decreases with the increase of N, increases and then keeps consistent with increasing Q. While the mean liquid velocity increases as increasing N, Q, and radial radius (r). The mean radial velocity increases with increasing N, Q, and decreasing r. This work leads a deep understanding of the liquid flow characteristics in the RSSDR and its optimization design and scaling up.