CHAOTIC MIXING IN A SPATIALLY PERIODIC CONTINUOUS MIXER

Mixing in a spatially periodic continuous mixer, the partitioned pipe mixer, is studied using bifurcation analysis with the help of geometri c construction of periodic orbits and a knowledge of the symmetry of t he mixing system. Mixing windows, where motion in the mixer is nearly globally chaotic, are found in the parameter space. Uniform ultimate m ixtures are expected in the mixing windows as verified with the Poinca re sections. The present analysis provides a better understanding of t he existing experimental results.