Abstract A numerical simulation study of the liquid-liquid two-phase flow in an oscillatory flow reactor with orificial baffles, which is used in the production of biodiesel, was performed by using computational fluid dynamic methodology. EulerEuler model was adopted to describe the liquidliquid two-phase flow by coupling with population balance model considering droplet coalescence and breakage, and the standard k-ε model was used to simulate the turbulence flow. Base on the computational models, the structural parameters of the baffle, including opening area rate and baffle spacing were optimized. According to mixing effect, energy dissipation and droplet diameter distribution, the calculated results show that at a frequency of 4 Hz and in the amplitude range 16 mm to 36 mm, the optimal opening area ratio and baffle spacing are 25%—30% and 1.5D. |
|