Determination of heterogeneities in a scraped surface heat exchanger using electrochemical sensors

• Published in: Journal of applied electrochemistry Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 487 - 498
• Main Authors: FAYOLLE, Francine, MABIT, Jérome, LEGRAND, Jack
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer 01.05.2005
• Subjects: Chemistry; Electrochemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Shear; Hydrodynamics; wall shear rates; Determination; flow visualisation; spiral flow; Electrochemical detector; shear heterogeneities; Heterogeneity; electrochemical technique; Heat exchanger; Flow visualization; scraped surface heat exchanger; Application
• ISSN: 0021-891X; 1572-8838
• DOI: 10.1007/s10800-004-8343-5

An experimental investigation of a scaled-down model of an industrial exchanger, using an electrochemical technique, was undertaken in order to show the presence of hydrodynamic heterogeneities at low axial Reynolds number. Heterogeneities were revealed in the bowls with respect to the generalised Taylor number as the result of the perturbations added to the flow by blade rotation at both ends of the exchanger. Shear heterogeneities associated to flow visualisations were correlated to temperature heterogeneities observed in the bowls. Shear fluctuations were revealed in the scraped part describing two distinctive zones at low rotation speed caused by varying viscosity in the flow field. A complex spiral flow was observed by flow visualisation characterising a mass transfer evolution comprised between these two distinctive zones at low Taylor number.