Mixing of miscible liquids with density differences: effect of volume and density of the tracer fluid

Abstract

The effect on the mixing time of the density difference between the tracer fluid and the bulk, the type and geometry of the impeller, and the amount of the fluid added as a tracer, has been investigated in a tank with diameter of 0.31 m. The amount of tracer pulse has been varied in the range of 2 to 8% of the bulk volume and the density difference between two fluids has been varied in the range of 54 to 145 kg/m³. A generalized correlation has been developed for the prediction of dimensionless mixing time (Nθ) in terms of amount of the tracer fluid, density differences between the bulk and the tracer liquid and the pumping effectiveness of the impeller. A pitched blade downflow turbine with diameter as small as possible is the most energy efficient among the impellers studied in this work.