Computational fluid dynamics modeling of corrugated static mixers for turbulent applications

This work is aimed at investigating the capability of a fully predictive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach to catch the main features of the liquid flow in pipelines equipped with corrugated static mixer inserts. The simulations are based on the numerical solution of the Reynolds averaged Navier−Stokes equations on the three-dimensional domain closely representing the static mixer geometry. As a benchmark, literature experiments on a laboratory scale SMV mixer were considered and the simulation results obtained at different locations were compared with relevant velocity and tracer concentration data. The effect of the turbulence modeling, the near-wall treatment, and the numerical approximations on the accuracy of the results is discussed. The results analysis demonstrated that the selected CFD model can be reliably adopted to evaluate the velocity field and the mixing performances of turbulent flows in static mixers for design and optimization purposes. On the other hand, the application of the same model to an industrial scale corrugated plate mixer highlighted the effects of the distributor geometry and of the distance between consecutive elements on the mixing of two miscible liquids.