Numerical simulation of 3d viscous fluid flow and convective mixing in a static mixer

Summary The paper deals with a hybrid method to simulate mixing processes of highly viscous single-phase shear-thinning liquids. A static mixer of SMX type is chosen for demonstration. In the first place, low Reynolds number flow is computed at different values of rheological parameters, considering periodicity and several geometrical and physical symmetries of the flow problem. The dynamical system of particle motion is treated, which turns out to be chaotic. With a large number of streak lines, Poincaré sections at different positions along the mixing element are made up, which gives a detailed insight into the mixing mechanism. Statistical quantities are extracted, which are suitable for a rating of the mixing quality. Received 12 April 1999; accepted for publication 30 May 1999