Effect of the rotor shape on the mixing characteristics of a continuous flow Taylor-vortex reactor

Macro- and micromixing in a continuous flow Taylor-vortex reactor with novel ribbed rotors were investigated and compared to the features of a classical cylindrical rotor. The characterisation was performed in a wide hydrodynamic range ( 40 < Ta < 2500 and 0.03 < Re < 0.51 ) through tracer experiments and the analysis of the rotor power consumption. Additionally, the flow patterns were visualised by using a rheoscopic fluid. The results show that the novel rotors equipped with ribs immobilise and stabilise the vortices. As compared to cylindrical rotors, micromixing is clearly enhanced while axial dispersion can be simultaneously reduced. Through the use of ribbed rotors, the operational window can be broadened considerably, in which the reactor runs at very low or moderate extent of macromixing.