Mass transfer and RTD studies in 3D printed serpentine and wavy serpentine millireactor

Abstract

This study investigates the performance of serpentine and wavy serpentine millireactors. Millireactors, with their microscale features, offer advantages such as heightened surface-to-volume ratio, improved heat transfer coefficients, and reduced mass transfer pathways. The serpentine and wavy serpentine millireactors, characterized by their channel structures, demonstrate superior energy efficiency, reaction speed, and scalability compared to conventional reactors. The focus of this research is on understanding the mass transfer rates and residence time distribution (RTD) in these millireactors, crucial for optimizing their design and operation. The residence time distribution studies providing insights into the mixing characteristics and overall flow behavior. The (RTD) data was fitted to different models. Mass transfer studies examine the movement of acetic acid between aqueous and organic phases, with the volumetric mass transfer coefficient (K_La) as a key parameter. Results from the serpentine millireactor indicate a partially mixed flow behavior with a dispersion number of 0.611, while the wavy serpentine millireactor exhibits a dispersion number of 0.130, indicating improved mixing efficiency. The mass transfer studies yield K_La values in the range of 0.31–1.42 min⁻¹ and 0.49–2.71 min⁻¹ for serpentine and wavy serpentine millireactors, respectively. Efficiency assessments reveal 72.31% and 83.21% for serpentine and wavy serpentine millireactors, respectively. The study concludes that the use of serpentine and wavy serpentine millireactors represents an effective method for process intensification, offering valuable insights for chemical engineering and process optimization applications. The results contribute to advancing the millireactor technology and its potential in continuous flow chemical manufacturing.

Keywords:

• Millireactor
• mass transfer
• residence time distribution
• serpentine millireactor
• wavy serpentine millireactor

Acknowledgements

Authors express their sincere thanks to Management of Ramaiah Institute of Technology for providing the RIT student fund to execute our project.

Disclosure statement

No potential competing interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Authors express their sincere thanks to Management of Ramaiah Institute of Technology for providing the RIT student fund to execute our project.