Miscible displacements with a chemical reaction in a capillary tube

Abstract

AbstractMiscible displacement of a more‐viscous liquid by a less‐viscous one with a chemical reaction in a capillary tube was investigated experimentally and theoretically. In such a flow field, the less‐viscous liquid continuously leaks from the tip of the finger‐shaped boundary between the two liquids to form another thin finger depending on flow condition. This is called a “spike.” Experimental results show that in the spike product is clearly or scarcely observed when the initial reactant concentration in the less‐viscous liquid is sufficiently larger or smaller than the stoichiometry, respectively. On the basis of theoretical results, a model is proposed in which the difference in the reaction plane's location in either the less‐viscous liquid or in the boundary (determined by the variation in the initial reactant concentrations) results in a significant difference between the locations of the boundary and the reaction plane, this difference being affected by the spike configuration of the boundary. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2008