Evaluation of a Reverse Oscillatory Flow Microreactor Design for the Synthesis of Uniformly-Sized Nanoparticles

Computational fluid dynamics is used to refine the operating parameters of a Reverse Oscillatory Flow (ROF) microreaction system for the synthesis of uniformly-sized nanoparticles. The ROF mixing system uses highly advective flow regions to achieve high quality mixing over short mixing lengths. The mixing system is further enhanced by sinusoidal inlet flow conditions which create plugs having reduced diffusional lengths. Flow conditions leading to plug creation were found to be chiefly responsible for shorter mixing times. Residence time distributions (of simulated inert particles) were found to decrease with increasing pump displacement. It is expected that these conditions will lead to smaller particle size distributions. Mixing quality and residence time distribution are not captured well by Reynolds or Strouhal numbers; however the maximum inlet Reynolds number does correlate well with mixing time trends. Implications for flow conditions are discussed.