Evaluation of mixing performance for the industrial-scale radial multiple jets-in-crossflow mixing structure

Abstract

The radial multiple jets-in-crossflow mixing structure (RMJCMS) is extensively used in industrial manufacture. In this research, flow behavior induced by an industrial-scale RMJCMS is investigated via computational fluid dynamics considering the example of the mixing of TiCl4 and O2 in the chloride process. The flow features of RMJCMS are accurately captured through simulation. The momentum ratio and size distribution of jet holes are notable elements for controlling the mixing performance. For an injection ring with single-diameter jet holes, the optimal momentum ratio was 3.2. To improve the mixing performance of RMJCMS, a design strategy that maximized the effect of convective mixing by modifying the distribution of the jet hole diameters was proposed based on the simulation results to guide the design of the injection ring. With the designed injection ring, the dimensionless mixing distance decreased by 50% compared with the equal-hole case, validating the effectiveness of the design strategy.