Numerical
simulations of silicone oil–water two-phase turbulent
dispersion mixing in Q-type static mixers (QSM) are performed using
computational fluid dynamics (CFD) coupled with a population balance
model in the range of Re = 8000–24 000.
The numerical prediction of Sauter mean diameter (d32) in the Kenics static mixer had a good agreement with
experimental results. The centerlines of droplet size distributions
gradually shift to the left, and the flat profiles with lower peak
values become much thinner with higher peak values with increasing
axial length. The dimensionless d32 decreases
with increasing element number and Re and stabilizes
below 0.03 at the axial length z/l > 10. A correlation among d32, We, and residence time is obtained to predict the equilibrium
characteristics of droplet groups. The average shear rate in the QSM
with right–left staggered segments (RL-90-QSM) is 1.15–2.41
times that with right–right staggered segments, which indicates
that RL-90-QSM has excellent droplet breakage performance.