Non-dimensional analysis of experimental pressure drop and energy dissipation measurements in Oscillatory Baffled Reactors

An experimental study is performed to characterize the pressure drop and the power consumption in Oscillatory Baffled Reactors, using dimensionless numbers: the oscillatory Fanning friction factor (f osc ) and the Power number (Po), respectively. Two baffle geometries (one-orifice and three orifices) are tested, for different fluids and oscillating amplitudes. The range of oscillatory Reynolds numbers (Reosc ) tested is 10–1000. Data reduction based on the statistical fitting and the FFT of the pressure drop and velocity signals is introduced to assess the maximum pressure drop and the phase lag between both signals. The new set of experimental data proves the limitations of the conventional models available in the open literature. f osc and Po provide consistent dimensionless results for the different working fluids tested and their trends are clearly related to different flow behaviours: laminar or chaotic flow. Correlations for f osc and Po as a function of Reosc and dimensionless amplitude are obtained. The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the project DPI2015-66493-P by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO, Spain) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).