In silico evaluation of manufacturing concepts for non-Newtonian products

本工作的主要目的是建立一个特定配置的过程混合器（一个控制变形动态混合器（CDDM））的最佳几何配置。该项目将寻求了解搅拌机本身独特的流动动力学，并通过这种理解，提高设备生产的混合物的质量。同时，这项工作将建立混合器几何形状的变化，从而改善整体混合，同时减少所需的功率。混合器的分析变得更加复杂，因为混合器内的流动通常是非牛顿的，并且表明粘度（第一种情况）取决于剪切速率，（第二种情况）取决于流体本身的加工历史。工艺材料的物理特性，加上高角速度（混合器通常以约50000 rpm的速度运行）、高压降和极小的流动几何形状的竞争影响，阻碍了对流动的简单表征。此外，通过混合器的通道是蜿蜒的，并随着混合器转子位置的变化而变化。根据这些，流动将首先在层流模式和静态配置中进行研究;随着理解的发展，将引入越来越复杂的动力学-通过混合器运动本身，通过粘度的作用，通过湍流物理或所有三者的某种组合。这项工作是相当大的兴趣，学术合作伙伴，因为不断发展的流变学代表了多物理场的应用;它耦合在一起的计算流体力学，流变学和（从长远来看）中尺度建模。该项目更广泛的目标是通过模拟快速消费品（FMCG）中复杂多相液体产品的制造过程，并结合计算流体力学（CFD）、快速原型（RP）和实验评估，加速将新的和更好的产品引入市场。

The main aim of the work is to establish the optimal geometric configuration for a particular configuration of process mixer(a Controlled Deformation Dynamic Mixer (CDDM)). The project will seek to understand the unique flow dynamics foundinside the mixer itself and, through that understanding, improve the quality of the mixture that the device produces. At thesame time, the work will establish changes to the mixer geometry such that the overall mixture is improved, whilesimultaneously reducing the power required. The analysis of the mixer is made more complex because the flow within istypically non-Newtonian, and demonstrates a viscosity that is dependent (in the first instance) on the shear rate and (in thesecond instance) on the processing history of the fluid itself. The physics of the process material, coupled with thecompeting influences of high angular velocities (the mixer typically runs at approximately 50000rpm), high pressure dropsand extremely small flow geometries preclude easy characterisation of the flow. In addition, the channels through the mixerare sinuous and change with the mixer rotor position. In the light of these, the flow will be studied initially in the laminarflow mode and static configuration; as understanding develops, increasingly complex dynamics will be introduced---eitherthrough the mixer motion itself, through the action of the viscosity, through turbulent flow physics or some combination of allthree. The work is of considerable interest to the academic partner, as the evolving rheology represents an application ofmultiphysics; it couples together CFD, rheology and (in the longer term) meso-scale modelling. The wider goal of theproject is to accelerate the introduction of new & better products into the market by the simulation of manufacturingprocesses for complex multiphase liquid products for fast moving consumer goods (FMCG), and unifies computational fluiddynamics (CFD), rapid prototyping (RP) and experimental evaluation.