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Estimating Breakup Frequencies in Industrial Emulsification Devices: The Challenge of Inferring Local Frequencies from Global Methods

Håkansson, Andreas LU (2021) In Processes 9(4).
Abstract
Experimental methods to study the breakup frequency in industrial
devices are increasingly important. Since industrial production-scale
devices are often inaccessible to single-drop experiments, breakup
frequencies for these devices can only be studied with “global methods”;
i.e., breakup frequency estimated from analyzing
emulsification-experiment data. However, how much can be said about the
local breakup frequencies (e.g., needed in modelling) from these global
estimates? This question is discussed based on insights from a numerical
validation procedure where set local frequencies are compared to global
estimates. It is concluded that the global methods provide a valid
estimate of local... (More)
Experimental methods to study the breakup frequency in industrial
devices are increasingly important. Since industrial production-scale
devices are often inaccessible to single-drop experiments, breakup
frequencies for these devices can only be studied with “global methods”;
i.e., breakup frequency estimated from analyzing
emulsification-experiment data. However, how much can be said about the
local breakup frequencies (e.g., needed in modelling) from these global
estimates? This question is discussed based on insights from a numerical
validation procedure where set local frequencies are compared to global
estimates. It is concluded that the global methods provide a valid
estimate of local frequencies as long as the dissipation rate of
turbulent kinetic energy is fairly homogenous throughout the device
(although a residence-time-correction, suggested in this contribution,
is needed as long as the flow is not uniform in the device). For the
more realistic case of an inhomogeneous breakup frequency, the global
estimate underestimates the local frequency (at the volume-averaged
dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy). However, the relative
error between local frequencies and global estimates is approximately
constant when comparing between conditions. This suggest that the global
methods are still valuable for studying how local breakup frequencies
scale across operating conditions, geometries and fluid properties. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Breakup frequency, Fragmentation rate, Emulsification, Turbulent drop breakup, High-pressure homogenizer, Rotor-stator mixer
in
Processes
volume
9
issue
4
article number
645
pages
20 pages
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • scopus:85104891503
ISSN
2227-9717
DOI
10.3390/pr9040645
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6083f253-7604-4181-ae0d-e057ac200b41
date added to LUP
2021-04-29 11:36:36
date last changed
2023-12-21 20:07:32
@article{6083f253-7604-4181-ae0d-e057ac200b41,
  abstract     = {{Experimental methods to study the breakup frequency in industrial <br>
devices are increasingly important. Since industrial production-scale <br>
devices are often inaccessible to single-drop experiments, breakup <br>
frequencies for these devices can only be studied with “global methods”;<br>
 i.e., breakup frequency estimated from analyzing <br>
emulsification-experiment data. However, how much can be said about the <br>
local breakup frequencies (e.g., needed in modelling) from these global <br>
estimates? This question is discussed based on insights from a numerical<br>
 validation procedure where set local frequencies are compared to global<br>
 estimates. It is concluded that the global methods provide a valid <br>
estimate of local frequencies as long as the dissipation rate of <br>
turbulent kinetic energy is fairly homogenous throughout the device <br>
(although a residence-time-correction, suggested in this contribution, <br>
is needed as long as the flow is not uniform in the device). For the <br>
more realistic case of an inhomogeneous breakup frequency, the global <br>
estimate underestimates the local frequency (at the volume-averaged <br>
dissipation rate of turbulent kinetic energy). However, the relative <br>
error between local frequencies and global estimates is approximately <br>
constant when comparing between conditions. This suggest that the global<br>
 methods are still valuable for studying how local breakup frequencies <br>
scale across operating conditions, geometries and fluid properties.}},
  author       = {{Håkansson, Andreas}},
  issn         = {{2227-9717}},
  keywords     = {{Breakup frequency; Fragmentation rate; Emulsification; Turbulent drop breakup; High-pressure homogenizer; Rotor-stator mixer}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{Processes}},
  title        = {{Estimating Breakup Frequencies in Industrial Emulsification Devices: The Challenge of Inferring Local Frequencies from Global Methods}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pr9040645}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/pr9040645}},
  volume       = {{9}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}