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Comparison of flow patterns and droplet deformations of modified sharp-edged and conical orifices during high-pressure homogenisation using µPIV

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Abstract

Micro-particle image velocimetry was used as an optical, non-intrusive measurement method to measure the flow pattern and visualise droplet deformation in high-pressure homogenisation disruption units of two different inlet designs (sharp-edged and conical). The flow patterns were compared either at same Reynolds numbers \({\text{(}}Re=980)\) or pressure differences (\(\Delta p=52~{\text{bar}}\)) each, to describe the influence of inlet geometry on the droplet disruption efficiency. Therefore, the shear and elongation rates were calculated from the velocity profiles and discussed regarding the visualised deformation of the emulsion droplets. For this, the viscosity ratio between the droplet and continuous phase was varied. Afterwards, the droplet size distributions (DSD) of emulsions with corresponding viscosity ratio passing the sharp-edged and the conical orifice were characterised. The inlet geometry influenced the flow pattern, shear and elongation rate profile, droplet deformation and finally droplet size distributions during the high-pressure homogenisation. On the one hand, sharp-edged inlet design resulted in higher axial velocity profiles and smaller droplets with slightly bimodal character. On the other hand, conical inlet design resulted in perfectly monomodal DSD but comparatively bigger droplets.

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Acknowledgements

The work has been carried out with financial support of the German Research Foundation (DFG) within the research project SCHU 1417/11-1.

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  1. Institute of Process Engineering in Life Sciences, Section I: Food Process Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Kaiserstrasse 12, 76131, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Ariane Bisten, Dominik Rudolf & Heike P. Karbstein

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  1. Ariane Bisten
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  2. Dominik Rudolf
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  3. Heike P. Karbstein
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Contributions

HPK had the principal idea for this approach; the experimental approach was first tested by KK, AB and HPK; AB and HPK conceived and designed the experiments for this paper; AB and DR performed the experiments; AB analysed the data; DS and HL from the Institute for Micro Process Engineering (Micro Apparatus Engineering—FAB) contributed to the micro manufacturing of the orifices; AB and HPK discussed and analysed the results; AB and HPK wrote the paper.

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Correspondence to Ariane Bisten.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

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Heike P. Karbstein: formerly: Schuchmann.

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Bisten, A., Rudolf, D. & Karbstein, H.P. Comparison of flow patterns and droplet deformations of modified sharp-edged and conical orifices during high-pressure homogenisation using µPIV. Microfluid Nanofluid 22, 57 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-018-2076-y

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