Evaluation of flow characteristics that give higher mixing performance in the 3-D T-mixer versus the typical T-mixer

Abstract

A 3-D configuration of a T-mixer is evaluated under normal operating conditions of the called convective micromixers. The design has been called 3-D T-mixer in our previous work [1] as it adopts a three-dimensional structure at the T-junction. This design feature has been found that it exerts a strong effect on the flow characteristics in the device downstream in the mixing channel. A numerical study has been carried out in the 3-D T-mixer and the typical T-mixer, being these modelled with equal dimensions of channel lengths and cross sections and operated with the same flow rates. The flow analysis in the 3-D T-mixer reveals the quick formation of vortical flow structures composed of intertwined fluid filaments which increase drastically the fluids interface to enhance mixing. The flow patterns in the mixing channel vary with Reynolds number (Re) in the range 100-500. This study shows that the 3-D T-mixer provides a significant enhancement of mixing and presents lower pressure loss and similar level of shear stress compared to a typical T-mixer, in the whole range of Re used to characterize the flow. It has a simple channel configuration which is easy to fabricate and effective for mixing of continuous fluid and potentially particles. The 3-D T-mixer is called to be tested and applied for improving the efficiency of systems which have a T-junction in their design and require fast mixing with high throughput

Evaluation of mixing profiles for a new micromixer design strategy

“…To minimize numerical errors, finer grids were prepared near the confluence, bending, and splitting structures because secondary flows in these parts dominate numerical diffusion. Mesh dependency tests were conducted to decide the grid sizes for all mixers according to other numerical studies . The degree of mixing, was calculated on several cross sections with an increasing number of total grid elements.…”

“…For example, Kim et al successfully conducted a protecting‐group‐free organolithium exchange reaction within several milliseconds using integrated T‐shaped micromixers . Due to their attractive characteristics for chemical processes, many micromixers of various types have been developed since the 1990s …”

“…Flow visualization, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, and chemical reactions have been widely used to evaluate mixing performance. The representative reaction system for mixing evaluation is Villermaux–Dushman protocol, consists of parallel competing reactions consume proton.…”

Numerical analysis of lamination effect in a vortex micro T-mixer with non-aligned inputs

“…The results showed that the minimum mixing performance is for the case in that the width are uniform and the balanced collision occurs. In a three-dimensional numerical study Cortes-Quiroz et al [16] simulated a 3D T-mixer with new T-junction and compared its performance with typical T-mixer. The results demonstrates that the new design of T-mixer provides a significant enhancement of mixing and presents lower pressure loss and similar level of shear stress compared to a typical T-mixer, in the whole range of Re used to characterize the flow.…”

Characterization of enhanced liquid mixing in T‐T mixer at various Reynolds numbers

“…The mixers are designed to suit mixing at high throughputs as required by the chemical processing applications. Cortes‐Quiroz et al carried out numerical analysis to study the mixing performance of a 3D T‐mixer. It is shown that the 3D T‐mixer performed better mixing compared with planar T‐mixer in the Re range of 100 < Re < 500.…”