Mixing in a Taylor–Couette reactor in the non-wavy flow regime

Abstract

The mixing in a Taylor–Couette flow cell is quantified with laser induced fluorescence (LIF). Time-resolved, two-dimensional measurements of dye concentration have been obtained in the non-wavy Taylor vortex flow regime ( Re = 330 ) and analysed in order to characterise the intervortex and intravortex mixing. The results show clear evidence of intervortex mixing especially near the inner wall region and the inflow boundaries, and demonstrate that Taylor vortex flow cannot be simply assumed as a series of well mixed tanks. Intravortex mixing is slow in relation to the mixing between adjacent vortices and is more rapid in the azimuthal direction than the meridional plane. Increasing Re towards the upper limit of the Taylor vortex flow regime ( Re = 950 ) results in enhanced mixing despite the apparent absence of an azimuthal wave. Both the intervortex and intravortex mixing times reduce substantially and the intravortex mixing in the azimuthal and meridional planes occur at similar timescales.