Abstract
A micromixer is a new type of chemical engineering equipment used to intensify the mixing process. This article provides details on flow regimes in microchannels with a complex geometry, such as with chicane mixing geometry. Experiments involving water, ink, and a micro digital camera have determined both the micromixer’s initial mixing zone, and also the streamlines. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling helped identify the mechanism of stimulating effect; swirling and recirculation were identified as two special cases of the convective mixing process. To characterize the degree of mixing, a function of volume flow rate was proposed. A much higher degree of mixing in vortex flow compared to stratified flow was observed. The relationship between laminar flow and vortices shows a square-law dependence of pressure drop against the volume flow rate. The mixing cost and the mixing energy cost at Reynolds number of 50 are higher for the chicane micromixer than for micromixers without chicanes geometry.
Highlights
Micromixers and microreactors are used in a wide range of chemical reactions, from simple homogenous mixing to catalytic and biochemical processes [1]
The results showed the higher mixing efficiency of the “S-form” mixer in comparison to the Y-mixer only by vortex flow regime
The results showed a sharp increase of mixing index by Re > 10 due to observed recirculation in micromixers cells
Summary
Micromixers and microreactors are used in a wide range of chemical reactions, from simple homogenous mixing to catalytic and biochemical processes [1]. Some pilot plants based on microstructured systems have been reported [2], which indicates the potential for novel microstructured systems in the chemical industry. Their advantages are based on extremely small dimensions which lie in the range from some micrometers to a few millimeters. This reduces the diffusion length and the mixing time in comparison with conventional reactors. The volume of micromixers varies from microliters to milliliters. This provides better process control (e.g., temperature) and better safety when working with dangerous or explosive substances. The microstructured systems operate continuously, providing wide scale-up possibilities, e.g., parallel running of several microreactors in order to increase the setup performance
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
