Lagrangian simulation and analysis of the power-law fluid mixing in the two-blade circular mixers using a modified WCSPH method

Abstract

In the present study, we introduce a robust modifi ed Weakly Compressible Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (WCSPH) method in order to examine miscible mixing within a two-blade paddle mixer. Since it has a Lagrangian nature and it is based on particles, Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) is an appropriate and convenient method for simulating the moving boundary problems and tracking the particles in the mixing process. The present study thus introduces a convenient SPH method for modelling the mixing process for the power-law fl uids. Two geometries for the mixer are examined and the effects of the power-law index on the fl uid mixing are investigated. The results show that the geometric change from circular chamber to twin chamber considerably increases the mixing rate (by at least 49%). The results also indicate that the twin chamber mixer is more effi cient for the fl uids with higher power-law index.