Lattice-Boltzmann and finite element simulations of fluid flow in a SMRX Static Mixer Reactor
✍ Scribed by D. Kandhai; D.J.-E. Vidal; A.G. Hoekstra; H. Hoefsloot; P. Iedema; P.M.A. Sloot
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 1999
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 284 KB
- Volume
- 31
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0271-2091
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✦ Synopsis
A detailed comparison between the finite element method (FEM) and the lattice-Boltzmann method (LBM) is presented. As a realistic test case, three-dimensional fluid flow simulations in an SMRX static mixer were performed. The SMRX static mixer is a piece of equipment with excellent mixing performance and it is used as a highly efficient chemical reactor for viscous systems like polymers. The complex geometry of this mixer makes such three-dimensional simulations non-trivial. An excellent agreement between the results of the two simulation methods was found. Furthermore, the numerical results for the pressure drop as a function of the flow rate were close to experimental measurements. Results show that the relatively simple LBM is a good alternative to traditional methods.