Numerical and experimental study of homogenization mechanism of high shear rotor-stator mixer

Abstract

Utilizing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for analytical purposes, this study developed a fundamental model employing the multiple reference frame (MRF) method, facilitated by the CFX simulation platform. The investigation conducted numerical simulations of the flow field within the rotor-stator assembly of a high shear mixer, guided by the Navier–Stokes equations and the standard k-ε turbulence model. To quantify the homogenization efficacy of the high shear mixer under scenarios with and without energy consumption considerations, the study introduced two distinct parameters: the mixing index (γ) and the energy ratio mixing index (λ). The impact of structural parameters such as the number of rotor-stator teeth, radial clearance, and tooth apex-base axial clearance on the local flow characteristics—velocity, pressure, turbulent kinetic energy, shear rate distribution, net power consumption, and the specified indices—was meticulously analyzed. This analysis aimed to identify the optimal structural configurations for the mixer, considering energy efficiency and mixing effectiveness, and to determine the relative influence of these structural variations on the mixing index (γ) and the energy ratio mixing index (λ).