Effet des ultrasons basse fréquence sur l’hydrodynamique d’un réacteur annulaire continu : approche expérimentale en Distribution des Temps de Séjour (DTS)
Ultrasound (US) are particularly interesting for their mechanical effects enabling transfers activation, in particular by generating mixing. However, this phenomenon has not yet been quantified in a continuous reactor, which is nevertheless a key point for the intensification of such processes. For this purpose, this
work characterized the hydrodynamics within a continuous annular reactor under low frequency ultrasound via a Residence Time Distribution experimental approach (RTD). Reliable and reproducible experimental protocol and data processing method were developed. The experiments under silent conditions showed that,due to its geometry, the studied reactor had dead zones that are not negligible. The comparison of these results with those obtained under US had clearly demonstrated the action of US in the flow rate range investigated (laminar flow). The comparison of the RTD curves, as well as the average residence time values obtained, confirmed the US effect on the mixing within the reactor. By creating micro-mixing, ultrasound also reduced dead zones. The study of US power influence showed a threshold beyond which its contribution on hydrodynamics is less marked. This point is encouraging for the scale up of reactors under ultrasound
