Project Martin Wörner

Summary
A key challenge for multiphase reactor engineering is to establish the scientifically based sustainable technologies necessary for meeting future energy and environmental needs of the world. This requires advancing the scientific understanding of kinetic multi-scale and multi-phase transport interactions to ensure higher reactor and process efficiencies. Due to the various scales and complex interaction between two-phase hydrodynamics, heat and mass transport and chemical kinetics rigorous numerical methods and models are required to gain new physical insight and to determine suitable operational parameters. The objective of this research project is to develop a novel numerical method for first-principle simulations of mass transfer in two-fluid flows with deformable interfaces. The method considers conjugate mass transfer with resistance in both phases and thus overcomes restrictions of existing methods. The approach is based on the single-field formulation of the governing equations in the sharp interface limit and a hierarchical grid. It will be valid for arbitrary values of the Henry number and species with low to intermediate Schmidt numbers. The method will be implemented in a computer code and will be validated by experimental data for fluid flow and mass transfer in Taylor flow, which will be provided by cooperation partners within this SPP.

Visualization of bubble shape and contour lines of instantaneous concentration field in numerical simulations of Taylor flow in a square mini channel (Onea et al., Chem. Eng. Sci. 2009, vol. 64, p. 1416).