In the present paper four passive micromixers designs (G1, G2, G3 and G4) inspired on distillation columns trays were proposed. The devices performance was assessed by numerical simulations. The mixing performance was investigated for a Reynolds number range from 0.01 to 100 and channel height of 200 µm, 500 µm and 1000 µm for oil/ethanol flow. G1 and G4 designs provided high mixing index (> 0.975). The G1 device achieved superior mixing performance with a moderate pressure drop (about 0.5 MPa) due to the induced flow recirculation pattern for a relative high flow rate of 0.21 L/min, highlighting the potential use of such microdevice for scale-up and numbering-up of microdevices in modular chemical plant processing.

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In the present paper four passive micromixers designs (G1, G2, G3 and G4) inspired on distillation columns trays were proposed. The devices performance was assessed by numerical simulations. The mixing performance was investigated for a Reynolds number range from 0.01 to 100 and channel height of 200 µm, 500 µm and 1000 µm for oil/ethanol flow. G1 and G4 designs provided high mixing index (> 0.975). The G1 device achieved superior mixing performance with a moderate pressure drop (about 0.5 MPa) due to the induced flow recirculation pattern for a relative high flow rate of 0.21 L/min, highlighting the potential use of such microdevice for scale-up and numbering-up of microdevices in modular chemical plant processing.

Quatro novos designs de micromisturadores para micro- e milirreatores foram propostos e estudados. O estudo foi desenvolvido com base em simulações numéricas, utilizando índices de mistura (grau de mistura dos reagentes) e variação de pressão para óleo de girassol e etanol, variando o número de Reynolds de 0,01 a 100. As geometrias foram estudadas com alturas de 200 µm, 500 µm e 1000 µm. Elevados índices de mistura (~0,99) foram obtidos em baixos e elevados números de Reynolds em todas as alturas. Em relação à variação de pressão foram observadas reduções significativas com o aumento da altura. Os maiores números de Reynolds também apresentaram maiores variações de pressão.