Subject Area
Mechanical Power Engineering
Article Type
Original Study
Abstract
There is a growing interest in microreactor technology for biodiesel production due to its high conversion efficiency. The most important part of the microreactor is the micromixer, which directly controls reactor efficiency. In this paper, an efficient uniflow passive micromixer configuration based on multilamination principle is developed, which is suitable for the low Reynolds numbers encountered in this application. The micromixer is modelled for the purpose of its shape optimization to develop a micromixer that is applicable for biodiesel production. A preliminary design of the micromixer is initially analyzed over a range of Reynolds numbers from 0.1 to 10. Effects of different modifications of the preliminary design are investigated. Finally, the developed micromixer is modeled using different fluid mixtures. Results show satisfactory mixing quality with relatively low pressure drop even with low diffusivity fluid mixtures such as oil and alcohol mixture used in biodiesel production. The configuration also helps enhancing mass transfer by diffusion, which is the dominating mixing mechanism at low Reynolds numbers
Keywords
Biodiesel production; Passive micromixer; Mixing; Multilamination; Ribs
Recommended Citation
El-Emam, Salah; Sabry, Mohamed; Mansour, Mohamed; and Shouman, Mahmoud
(2020)
"Modeling of Mixing Process in Microreactors Used for Biofuel Production.,"
Mansoura Engineering Journal: Vol. 41
:
Iss.
3
, Article 4.
Available at:
https://doi.org/10.21608/bfemu.2020.99015
