Evaluation of different micromixers by CFD simulations for the anionic polymerisation of styrene

Abstract

To ensure a sufficient reaction control, including fast mixing and heat removal, microstructured devices were chosen to conduct anionic polymerisations. To decrease the experimental effort and the resulting costs, a numerical approach was followed to apply decision support during experimental planning. Semi-quantitative CFD calculations were used to determine the best suited micromixer out of a collection of different devices. Using the numerical investigated micromixers for experimental investigations, the general order gained from CFD calculations was confirmed. It could be shown that CFD calculations can beneficially be used to rank micromixing devices for specific process conditions and synthesis tasks.