Optimization of mixing in agitated reactors: A CFD-based approach for energy efficiency and dispersion in biphasic systems

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Authors

  • José Alfredo Parra-Reyes División de Ingeniería Química y Bioquímica, Tecnológico Nacional de México/ TES de Ecatepec https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0385-2957
  • Isaac Salvador Cuevas Sosa División de Ingeniería Química y Bioquímica, Tecnológico Nacional de México/ TES de Ecatepec
  • Adrián López Yáñez División de Ingeniería Química y Bioquímica, Tecnológico Nacional de México/ TES de Ecatepec https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0341-0190
  • Rafael Alejandro Ángel Cuapio División de Ingeniería Química y Bioquímica, Tecnológico Nacional de México/ TES de Ecatepec https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9945-3004
  • Gastón Martínez-de-Jesús División de Ingeniería Química y Bioquímica, Tecnológico Nacional de México/ TES de Ecatepec https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1707-1502

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56845/rebs.v8i1.675

Keywords:

CFD, high-shear impeller, mixing efficiency, laminar flow, Euler–Euler model

Abstract

A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study was conducted to simulate the hydrodynamic behavior of a Norstone-type high-shear impeller operating in a stirred unbaffled tank containing a biphasic system (glycerin-hexane). A transient, multiphase Eulerian-Eulerian approach was implemented in ANSYS Fluent under laminar flow conditions. The model captured the formation of four distinct recirculation loops and identified zones of high-energy dissipation at the impeller blades, which are critical for the dispersion of the secondary phase. Experimental validation was conducted using temperature sensors (Max6675 thermocouples) connected to an Arduino Uno; good agreement between simulated and measured temperatures was observed. This work provides a validated CFD framework and fundamental insight into the flow dynamics, establishing a solid foundation for optimizing impeller geometry and operating conditions to achieve greater mixing homogeneity and energy efficiency in industrial biphasic systems.

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Published

2026-03-19

How to Cite

Parra Reyes, J. A., Cuevas Sosa, I. S., López Yáñez, A., Ángel Cuapio, R. A., & Martínez-de-Jesús, G. (2026). Optimization of mixing in agitated reactors: A CFD-based approach for energy efficiency and dispersion in biphasic systems. Renewable Energy, Biomass & Sustainability, 8(1), 78–83. https://doi.org/10.56845/rebs.v8i1.675

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2026)

Section

Original Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 José Alfredo Parra-Reyes, Isaac Salvador Cuevas Sosa, Adrián López Yáñez, Rafael Alejandro Ángel Cuapio, Gastón Martínez-de-Jesús

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.