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Analysis of the flow field in a high-pressure homogenizer

Innings, Fredrik LU and Trägårdh, Christian LU (2007) In Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science 32(2). p.345-354
Abstract
Numerous theories have been developed describing the drop break-up in a high-pressure homogenizer (HPH), but they are generally based on quite rudimentary descriptions of the flow fields. As the flow in a real HPH is very extreme, with gaps of 10–100 μm and velocities of hundreds of m/s, it is practically impossible to measure the velocity fields. In this study, a scale model of an HPH made of acrylic plastic has been developed making measurements possible. Great care was taken to keep the relevant dimensionless numbers constant during the scale-up. The flow field at the gap entrance shows a steady acceleration and total turbulence suppression, in the gap the flow field is flat with thin boundary layers, and at the exit a turbulent jet is... (More)
Numerous theories have been developed describing the drop break-up in a high-pressure homogenizer (HPH), but they are generally based on quite rudimentary descriptions of the flow fields. As the flow in a real HPH is very extreme, with gaps of 10–100 μm and velocities of hundreds of m/s, it is practically impossible to measure the velocity fields. In this study, a scale model of an HPH made of acrylic plastic has been developed making measurements possible. Great care was taken to keep the relevant dimensionless numbers constant during the scale-up. The flow field at the gap entrance shows a steady acceleration and total turbulence suppression, in the gap the flow field is flat with thin boundary layers, and at the exit a turbulent jet is formed. The jet was found to be very unsteady, and in very similar flow situations could either be attached to the walls or continue straight ahead after the gap. (Less)
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Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Scale-up, Scale-down, Hydromechanics, Turbulence, Food Processing, Fluid Mechanics, Emulsion, Homogenization
in
Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science
volume
32
issue
2
pages
345 - 354
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000251758600001
  • scopus:35948931785
ISSN
1879-2286
DOI
10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2007.04.007
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
c269cf84-84f0-467e-a765-5d5857041ee9 (old id 749305)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:48:02
date last changed
2023-11-11 01:20:15
@article{c269cf84-84f0-467e-a765-5d5857041ee9,
  abstract     = {{Numerous theories have been developed describing the drop break-up in a high-pressure homogenizer (HPH), but they are generally based on quite rudimentary descriptions of the flow fields. As the flow in a real HPH is very extreme, with gaps of 10–100 μm and velocities of hundreds of m/s, it is practically impossible to measure the velocity fields. In this study, a scale model of an HPH made of acrylic plastic has been developed making measurements possible. Great care was taken to keep the relevant dimensionless numbers constant during the scale-up. The flow field at the gap entrance shows a steady acceleration and total turbulence suppression, in the gap the flow field is flat with thin boundary layers, and at the exit a turbulent jet is formed. The jet was found to be very unsteady, and in very similar flow situations could either be attached to the walls or continue straight ahead after the gap.}},
  author       = {{Innings, Fredrik and Trägårdh, Christian}},
  issn         = {{1879-2286}},
  keywords     = {{Scale-up; Scale-down; Hydromechanics; Turbulence; Food Processing; Fluid Mechanics; Emulsion; Homogenization}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{345--354}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science}},
  title        = {{Analysis of the flow field in a high-pressure homogenizer}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2007.04.007}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.expthermflusci.2007.04.007}},
  volume       = {{32}},
  year         = {{2007}},
}