FLOW VISUALIZATION IN STIRRED VESSELS A Review of Experimental Techniques

Stirred vessels are being used not only in chemical processes for simple contacting or blending operations, but also in novel configurations and processes, as in mineral processing and/or wastewater treatment, with specific requirements, like low shear or regions in the vessel with high and low turbulence levels. The techniques that are available for the study of the flow patterns induced by the various types of agitators, e.g., classical pressure or velocity measurements with Pitot tubes or hot-wire anemometers, and novel ones like laser Doppler velocimetry, laser-induced fluorescence and particle image velocimetry are reviewed and their usefulness for particular situations is discussed.

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