Helical Static Mixer Simulations for Its Integration in the Pour Plate Method: Mixing Agar and a Nutrient Solution

Ana M. Díaz, Inés Terrones-Fernandez, Pedro Javier Gamez-Montero and Robert Castilla ()
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Ana M. Díaz: Department of Fluid Mechanics, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Campus Terrassa, Colom 11, 08222 Terrassa, Spain
Inés Terrones-Fernandez: Department of Fluid Mechanics, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Campus Terrassa, Colom 11, 08222 Terrassa, Spain
Pedro Javier Gamez-Montero: Department of Fluid Mechanics, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Campus Terrassa, Colom 11, 08222 Terrassa, Spain
Robert Castilla: Department of Fluid Mechanics, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya, Campus Terrassa, Colom 11, 08222 Terrassa, Spain

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 15, 1-17

Abstract: In microbiology laboratories, it is essential to obtain high-quality samples where the culture media are completely homogeneous. The pour plate method includes having to melt the culture media—a mixture of agar and a nutrient solution—before seeding. A static mixer is designed for this purpose, employing CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) with the software OpenFOAM to simulate the fluid’s behaviour in a helical static mixer with both internal and external configurations. The objective is to validate the CFD model by comparing it with the literature and provide a first approach to the mixer design. After satisfactory validation of the model, the results of the initial designs for Reynolds number 14 reveal the notably different behaviour of the fluids during mixing due to their differing properties, since agar and the nutrient solution present a high viscosity ratio. While the mixing efficiency is similar for the internal and external mixers, improved performance is demonstrated in the internal mixer, even for a shorter version. The external version of the mixer reaches a value for a mixing efficiency of 0.89 whereas the internal version performs more homogeneous mixing for the same number of mixing elements. This evaluation is based on a simplified internal design for computational simulations, whereas the external mixer is easier to manufacture but more complex to implement computationally. Finally, homogeneous mixing is achieved for the internal mixer configuration when adjusting its dimensions to those available on the market.

Keywords: static mixer; helical mixer; Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD); laminar flow; high viscosity ratio; miscible liquids; mixing index; agar-nutrients; pour plate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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