Relation between hydrodynamics and drop size distributions in pump–mix mixer

In the present work, experiments have been carried out to measure the drop size distributions in a pump–mix mixer over a wide range of geometry and operating conditions. The effects of impeller type, (single and multiple impellers), impeller speed, location, phase flow rates, and interfacial tension have been investigated. Computational fluid dynamics model has been developed to predict the hydrodynamic characteristics of pump–mix mixers. Population balance modeling has been carried out to predict the drop size distributions. The hydrodynamic characteristics predicted through CFD simulations have been related to the drop size distributions. The role of convection and energy dissipation in influencing the drop size distributions has been elucidated.