Mechanisms of particle adhesion influence on high‐viscosity solid–liquid flow and mixing in a stirred tank using particle image velocimetry

Abstract

In recent years, despite significant advancements in particle image velocimetry (PIV) technology for multiphase flows, research focused on uncovering the mechanisms of flow and mixing in unconventional high‐viscosity two‐phase systems remains relatively scarce. To address this issue, we conduct angle‐resolved PIV experiments to investigate the mechanism of particle adhesion and its effect on high‐viscosity solid–liquid flow and mixing in a stirred tank reactor. The glycerol aqueous solution (92 wt.%) and the silica glass spheres are designed as the continuous phase and the discrete phase, respectively, to achieve the refractive index matching (RIM). Multi‐view experiments are subsequently conducted to reveal particle adhesion mechanisms and screen their effect on the spatial distribution of solids inside the stirred tank. This work provides valuable insights into the identification of particle adhesion mechanism in solid–liquid stirred tank reactors.