Modelling of blending of Newtonian fluids using bespoke static mixer geometry

静态混合器是一种固体结构，可以插入到工艺管道中，使流体流过管道时均匀化。这意味着在管道的任何一点，流体与在任何其他点是相同的。目前，存在多种不同设计的静态混合器，最著名的两个静态混合器是Chemineer KM混合器和Sulzer SMX混合器。这些在20世纪80年代早期变得突出，大多数销售的静态混合器都是这两种设计的衍生品。作为我在伯明翰大学化学工程硕士论文的一部分，我与CALGAVIN LTD合作设计了一种全新的静态混合器设计，并将其与当前市场领先的混合器进行了比较。为了评估这种设计的能力，我们使用了平面激光诱导荧光（PLIF）。简单地说，如果将两种不同流体的混合物泵入静态混合器的入口，则在混合器的出口，这两种流体将变得更加混合。如果在其中一种初始流体中加入一种在激光照射下发出荧光的染料，则可以在静态混合器的出口照射激光，使染料发出光。这种光可以用相机捕捉，并生成图像，显示混合后管道中流体的分布。通过进行一些后处理和校准，可以从这张图像中计算出每种液体的确切浓度以及混合程度的值。可以对不同的静态混合器和不同的流动条件（温度、粘度、速度等）进行测试和比较，以找出哪种静态混合器提供最好的混合效果。PLIF研究验证了新的静态混频器，并表明它有希望对抗km型和smx型混频器。这种PLIF技术可用于快速迭代新的静态混频器设计，但它有固有的缺点。就像把南瓜和水混合一样，它们不能分开。与PLIF实验相同，测试流体是不可逆混合的。当这种测试流体昂贵时，它会大大增加实验测试的成本。为了减少这笔费用，我们提出了这个为期12周的研究项目。前提是使用计算流体动力学（CFD）在计算机模拟中进行类似测试。如果模拟可以准确地映射到已经取得的实验结果，它将允许计算机测试静态混合器的多个小设计变化，这些变化永远不能全部通过实验测试。这一提议对英国和加拿大有关各方都有重大好处。伯明翰大学和CALGAVIN将获得阿尔伯塔大学建模团队的专业知识，作为回报，他们将获得世界级的实验数据，这些数据可以用来磨练他们的模拟，以匹配实际的工作实验。因此，这项研究的结果将提高对更精确的CFD模拟技术的信心，并大大降低新型静态混合器的开发成本，增加其成为可行市场产品的机会。

EPSRC: Thomas Robinson: EP/S023070/1Static mixers are solid structures that can be inserted into process piping to homogenise a fluid flow as it passes through it. This means that at any point in the pipe, the fluid is the same as at any other point. Currently, multiple different designs of static mixer exist, and the two most eminent static mixers are the Chemineer KM mixer and the Sulzer SMX mixer. These came to prominence in the early 1980s and most sold static mixers are derivative of these two designs. As part of my Chemical Engineering Master's thesis at the University of Birmingham, I worked with CALGAVIN LTD on the design of a brand-new static mixer design and compared it against those current market leaders. To assess the capabilities of this design we employed the use of Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence (PLIF). Put simply, if a mixture of two separate fluids is pumped into the inlet of static mixer, at the outlet of the mixer, the two fluids will have become more mixed. If you add a dye that fluoresces under laser light to one of the initial fluids, you can shine a laser at the outlet of the static mixer to make the dye give off light. This light can be captured with a camera and generates an image that shows the distribution of the fluid in the pipe after mixing. By doing some post-processing and calibration, the exact concentration of each fluid can be calculated from this image as well as a value for how mixed it is. Different static mixers and different flow conditions (temperatures, viscosities, velocity, etc...) can be tested and compared to find which static mixer offers the best mixing. The PLIF research validated the new static mixer and showed it has promise against the KM-type and SMX-type mixers.This PLIF technique can be used to rapidly iterate a new static mixer design but it has inherent downsides. Like when mixing squash and water, they cannot be unmixed. It is the same with the PLIF experiments, the test fluids are irreversibly mixed. When this test fluid is expensive, it adds significant costs to experimental testing. To mitigate this expense, this 12-week research project has been proposed.The premise is to use Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to run analogous testing in computer simulations. If the simulations can be accurately mapped to the experimental results that have already been taken, it will allow a computer to test multiple small design changes to the static mixer that could never all be tested experimentally. This proposal represents a significant benefit to both the UK and Canadian parties involved. The University of Birmingham and CALGAVIN will gain access to the expertise of the modelling team in the University of Alberta and in return, they will receive world-class experimental data that can be used to hone their simulations to match real work experimentation.The output of this research will, therefore, be higher confidence in more accurate CFD simulation techniques as well as drastically lower development costs of the new static mixer with increased chances of it becoming a viable market product.