Mixing processes in a 3D printed large-flow microstructured reactor: Finite element simulations and experimental study

Abstract A large-flow microstructured reactor has been designed and fabricated using microfluidics and 3D printing technology. The finite element model is used in order to study the mixing processes of the species in the reactor. The flow is cut by convection and then mixed with chaos into several zigzag channels to induce recirculation mixing. The distribution of pressure, concentration and inlet velocity of each channel are obtained by solving successively the Navier-Stokes equation and the diffusion-convection equation in the steady state form. The results illustrate the effect of both flow rate and reactor geometry on hydrodynamics efficiency and the influence of flow rate and reactor geometry on fluid dynamics. The simulation reveals the combined contribution of chaotic mixing and laminar flow recirculation with Reynolds number (Re) 1  2+ and Fe 3+ using DZ988N show the extraction efficiency of copper to be greater than 75% while the extraction efficiency of iron is less than 5% at high flow rates, with the characteristics of high extraction efficiency, large treatment capacity, and wide range of application.