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Residence Time Distribution of Steady and Pulsed Flow in a Parallel‐Plate Channel with Staggered Fins
Author(s) -
Olayiwola B. O.,
Schaldach G.,
Walzel P.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
chemical engineering and technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1521-4125
pISSN - 0930-7516
DOI - 10.1002/ceat.201000524
Subject(s) - residence time distribution , mechanics , tracer , plug flow , flow (mathematics) , superposition principle , steady state (chemistry) , reynolds number , dispersion (optics) , materials science , oscillation (cell signaling) , open channel flow , thermodynamics , chemistry , physics , optics , turbulence , biochemistry , quantum mechanics , nuclear physics
The residence time distribution (RTD) in a parallel‐plate channel with staggered fins for both steady and pulsed flow conditions was experimentally determined. Dispersion and tank‐in‐series models were also adopted to characterize the system. The process fluid was water and the experiments were performed at room temperature. A steady Reynolds number Re ranging from 100 to 1000 was studied. The pulsating flow was generated using a frequency f of 6–20 Hz and an amplitude A of 0–2.3 mm. A pulse injection of sodium chloride solution was used as a tracer and the response in the form of electrical conductivity was measured at the outlet stream. The flow in the staggered finned channel approaches nearly plug‐flow behavior with either higher steady‐flow velocity or superposition of oscillation at low Re.