Development of a multi-scale simulation method for design of novel multiphase reactors

In this paper a multi-scale simulation method for modelling dispersions in a novel multiphase reactor is presented. This novel reactor is a continuous reactor which consists of repeated identical small mixing elements. The reactor is excellent for studying the effect of turbulence on drop size distributions since turbulence is continuously produced and dissipated along the reactor. Furthermore the energy dissipation within each element is very homogeneous. In addition it allows optical access at all positions along the reactor. Simulations were performed for a wide range of turbulence intensities for different dispersed phase hold-up. Each simulation was validated with measurements of the size distribution along the reactor. Good quantitative agreement was obtained at low hold-up in terms of prediction of the breakage rates and prediction of the size distributions. At higher hold-up the model gave reasonable predictions at low turbulence intensity however too large drops were predicted at high turbulence intensity. This can be a result of turbulence modulation and shows that reliable turbulence models for multiphase flows are necessary in this simulation method. The results show that physical models describing breakup and coalescence combined with CFD provide a good tool for efficient development and optimisation of novel multiphase reactors. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.