Numerical and experimental investigations of liquid mixing in two-stage micro-impinging stream reactors

A two-stage micro-impinging stream reactor (TS-MISR) that combined a first pre-mixing stage with a second micro-impinging stream reacting stage for continuous multi-component reacting systems has been built from commercial T-junctions and steel micro-capillaries. Both of operating parameters and reactor configurations, such as jet Reynolds number (Rej), volumetric flow ratio (R), the first-stage junction angle (φ), the connecting capillary length (Lc) and connecting capillary diameter (dc), had significant effects on the micromixing efficiency of the reactor. Such effects were investigated for both of the two stage structures, respectively, by experimental and CFD methods and were optimized for the best micromixing performance. Intensified micromixing among at least three reacting components can be achieved in a continuous mode by using TS-MISR; therefore, it is expected that the TS-MISR will produce products of higher quality with more uniform and stable element distribution.