Theoretical development and experimental verification of a novel, well-mixed vessel

The mixing characteristics of a vessel containing no moving parts have been studied theroretically and experimentally. The vessel consists of two chambers separated by a porous barrier. Mixing results because elements of fluid permeating the barrier at various distances from the inlet reside for different periods of time within the vessel and combine with other elements having entered earlier and later. An apparatus was designed a priori and experimentally verfied to give a residence‐time distribution function the same as a completely mixed vessel. The method was extended to show that in principle a vessel exhibiting any residence‐time distribution function can be designed by modifying the geometries of the chambers and the porous barrier.