Intensification of convective heat transfer in a stator-rotor-stator spinning disc reactor

Keywords: spinning disc reactor; convective heat-transfer; rotor–stator cavity; intensification; turbulence intensity A stator–rotor–stator spinning disc reactor is presented, which aims at intensification of convective heat-transfer rates for chemical conversion processes. Single phase fluid-rotor heat-transfer coefficients hr are presented for rotor angular velocities rad s-1 and volumetric throughflow rates m3s-1. The values of hr are independent of and increase from 0.95 kWm-2K-1 at ??=?0 rad s-1 to 34 kWm-2K-1 at ??=?157 rad s-1. This is a factor 2–3 higher than values achievable in passively enhanced reactor-heat exchangers, due to the 1–2 orders of magnitude larger specific energy input achievable in the stator–rotor–stator spinning disc reactor. Moreover, as hr is independent of , the heat-transfer rates are independent of residence time. Together with the high mass-transfer rates reported for rotor–stator spinning disc reactors, this makes the stator–rotor–stator spinning disc reactor a promising tool to intensify heat-transfer rates for highly exothermal chemical reactions. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2015