Intensifying micromixing with a Rushton turbine

Melissa Assirelli, Waldemar Bujalski, A Eaglesham, Alvin Nienow

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

37 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The 'iodide-iodate' reaction scheme has been used to ascertain the effectiveness of micromixing in a semi-batch reactor when feeding with pipes rotating and discharging continuously into the region of highest local specific energy dissipation rate, epsilon(T). The results are compared with those obtained using a fixed pipe at the equivalent position and at other positions including near the top surface, the most convenient position industrially. The results show significant intensification, i.e., a seven-fold reduction in 'waste product', between the most convenient fixed feed pipe position and the rotating pipes, even at the modest specific power input of similar to 1.0 W/kg. This mode of addition also ensures that feeding is always into a constant value of epsilon(T), whereas with a static pipe close to the impeller the reactants are being fed in a region where epsilon(T) varies cyclically. This difference in the epsilon(T) values experienced by the two modes of addition poses problems for previous models of micromixing in the literature linking selectivity to local specific energy dissipation rates. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2333-2339
Number of pages7
JournalChemical Engineering Science
Volume60
Issue number8 & 9
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 May 2005

Keywords

  • competing fast reactions
  • semi-batch reactor
  • intensification
  • micromixing
  • Rushton turbine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Intensifying micromixing with a Rushton turbine'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this