DISTRIBUTION OF RESIDENCE TIME DISTRIBUTI ON IN AN ANNULAR SWIRL FLOW-INDUCED BY TANGENTIAL FLUID INLET

In this work, a thorough model for the now in annular cell provided wi th various feed systems, based on an experimental determination of the residence time distribution, was presented for values of the Reynolds number in the range 100 to 5000. Using the plug flow model with axial dispersion, followed by a series of perfectly stirred plug-reactors, it was shown that the non-maintained swirling flow induced by a tangen tial inlet exhibits a very pronounced piston behavior in conjunction w ith a stirred zone due to the flow inlet/outlet system in the cell. Wh en an axial inlet or an inlet perpendicular to the cell was used, the percentage of the overall reactor volume having a plug flow with respe ct to the one with a tangential inlet was decreased.