Experimental Validation of a Novel Solid-Liquid Swirling Flow Reactor for Dense Suspensions

Experimental Validation of a Novel Solid-Liquid Swirling Flow Reactor for Dense Suspensions | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Experimental Validation of a Novel Solid-Liquid Swirling Flow Reactor for Dense Suspensions Thomas Holemans, Willian Hogendoorn, Christian Poelma, Johan De Greef, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4700204/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 22 Oct, 2024 Read the published version in Experiments in Fluids → Version 1 posted 9 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Ultrasound Imaging Velocimetry (UIV) is a maturing technique for measuring two-phase flows. It enables measurements of dense suspensions when optical methods fail. This study explores UIV’s applicability to measure the flow field in an Swirling Flow Reactor (SFR) for solid-liquid mixing of dense suspensions. Despite UIV’s historical focus on unidirectional flows like arteries and axisymmetric pipes, this research demonstrates its adaptation to an inherently complex 3D flow field, i.e. a swirling sudden expansion flow in an SFR. Using high-speed plane-wave imaging and correlation averaging techniques, satisfactory velocity profiles are achieved while preserving sufficient temporal information. Firstly, the applicability of UIV in this specific setup is demonstrated by comparing UIV with Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry measurements of a one-phase flow in the SFR. Secondly, several bulk velocities and volume concentrations (up to 50 vol%) are measured with UIV for a two-phase flow of water and 2.3 mm glass beads. A transducer is installed in two orientations and captures all three velocity components when combining the two datasets. A timestep optimization process is implemented to avoid manual fine-tuning of the acquisition frequency. A temporal analysis on the solid’s velocity fields in the SFR reveals dominant frequencies between 1.21–2.42 Hz, similar to those found in one phase flow. The general flow structure of the suspension flow is very similar to the latter, however the addition of particles confines the Central Recirculation Zone (CRZ) to the center. Finally, the implementation of swirl to keep solid-liquid mixtures in suspension in the SFR is experimentally confirmed by this study. According to camera recordings, a uniform suspension is achieved across all volumetric loadings. Quantitative UIV measurements confirm favorable flow structures for mixing, specifically a Coandã Jet Flow that avoids sedimentation. The concentration of solids in an SFR can even be increased up to 50 vol% while still maintaining a uniform suspension. Ultrasound Imaging Velocimetry Swirling Flows Solid-Liquid Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 22 Oct, 2024 Read the published version in Experiments in Fluids → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 13 Aug, 2024 Reviews received at journal 12 Aug, 2024 Reviews received at journal 04 Aug, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Aug, 2024 Reviewers agreed at journal 15 Jul, 2024 Reviewers invited by journal 14 Jul, 2024 Editor assigned by journal 09 Jul, 2024 Submission checks completed at journal 08 Jul, 2024 First submitted to journal 07 Jul, 2024 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4700204","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":331873767,"identity":"cdbc0ed2-1fb2-4d8d-abcf-e06f94b17733","order_by":0,"name":"Thomas Holemans","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA+0lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACAwbmBiiTB0zKgYgDD/BqYYRqYYNoMQZrSSBFSyKYi0+LOXtj46MbNXfsGeR7DwIZdenzww4/BNpiJ6fbgF2LZc/BZuOcY88SG9j4koGMw7kbb6cZALUkG5sdwOGwG4lt0jlshxOADjMDMg7kbpydANJyIHEbbi3tv3P+HbaHaPlXl244O/0DIS1tzLlthxkbQFpy25gT5KVzCNhy5mCzdG7f4cQ2thxjYyDDcIN0TsGBBAM8fjnefPBzzrfD9vzMZwwf53yrk5efnb75w4cKOzlcWuCADW4IWKUBAeUoQL6BFNWjYBSMglEwEgAAqKpiGLP5l7UAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"KU Leuven","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Thomas","middleName":"","lastName":"Holemans","suffix":""},{"id":331873768,"identity":"6f2c47dd-d183-4b72-9a91-0ac2719667ea","order_by":1,"name":"Willian Hogendoorn","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Delft University of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Willian","middleName":"","lastName":"Hogendoorn","suffix":""},{"id":331873769,"identity":"bd07c9c1-9c5f-46db-83b1-4eb515ac297c","order_by":2,"name":"Christian Poelma","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Delft University of Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Christian","middleName":"","lastName":"Poelma","suffix":""},{"id":331873770,"identity":"8bbad382-c7a7-415c-bdc8-cac20d4ac6fd","order_by":3,"name":"Johan De Greef","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"KU Leuven","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Johan","middleName":"","lastName":"De Greef","suffix":""},{"id":331873771,"identity":"5e8697bb-4409-482e-bb9e-692955054f62","order_by":4,"name":"Maarten Vanierschot","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"KU Leuven","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Maarten","middleName":"","lastName":"Vanierschot","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-07-07 12:36:14","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4700204/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4700204/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-024-03896-9","type":"published","date":"2024-10-22T15:57:52+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":67682478,"identity":"316c02fc-8b18-4239-a776-01f18fb24f92","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-10-28 16:14:26","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":5519182,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ExperimentalValidationofaNovelSolidLiquidSwirlingFlowReactor22.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4700204/v1_covered_fab556ba-90b4-4e1d-812f-a5631ba10341.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Experimental Validation of a Novel Solid-Liquid Swirling Flow Reactor for Dense Suspensions","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"experiments-in-fluids","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"exif","sideBox":"Learn more about [Experiments in Fluids](http://link.springer.com/journal/348)","snPcode":"348","submissionUrl":"https://submission.nature.com/new-submission/348/3","title":"Experiments in Fluids","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"Ultrasound Imaging Velocimetry, Swirling Flows, Solid-Liquid","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4700204/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4700204/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Ultrasound Imaging Velocimetry (UIV) is a maturing technique for measuring two-phase flows. 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