Helical static mixer simulations for its integration in the pour plate method: mixing agar and a nutrient solution
In microbiology laboratories, it is essential to obtain high-quality samples where the culture media are completely homogeneous. The pour plate method includes having to melt the culture media—a mixture of agar and a nutrient solution—before seeding. A static mixer is designed for this purpose, empl...
| Autores: | ; ; ; |
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| Tipo de documento: | Artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2023 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| Repositorio: | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/393089 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/393089 https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en16155816 |
| Nivel de acceso: | Acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Fluid dynamics Computational fluid dynamics Laminar flow Viscosity Static mixer Helical mixer Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) High viscosity ratio Miscible liquids Mixing index Agar-nutrients Pour plate Dinàmica de fluids Dinàmica de fluids computacional Flux laminar Viscositat Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria mecànica::Mecànica de fluids |
| _version_ | 1878738375686488064 |
|---|---|
| author | Diaz Font, Ana M. |
| author2 | Terrones Fernández, Inés Gámez Montero, Pedro Javier|||0000-0002-5168-3521 Castilla López, Roberto|||0000-0002-3848-2004 |
| author2_role | author author author |
| author_browse | Castilla López, Roberto|||0000-0002-3848-2004 Diaz Font, Ana M. Gámez Montero, Pedro Javier|||0000-0002-5168-3521 Terrones Fernández, Inés |
| author_facet | Diaz Font, Ana M. Terrones Fernández, Inés Gámez Montero, Pedro Javier|||0000-0002-5168-3521 Castilla López, Roberto|||0000-0002-3848-2004 |
| author_role | author |
| collection | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| description | In microbiology laboratories, it is essential to obtain high-quality samples where the culture media are completely homogeneous. The pour plate method includes having to melt the culture media—a mixture of agar and a nutrient solution—before seeding. A static mixer is designed for this purpose, employing CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) with the software OpenFOAM to simulate the fluid’s behaviour in a helical static mixer with both internal and external configurations. The objective is to validate the CFD model by comparing it with the literature and provide a first approach to the mixer design. After satisfactory validation of the model, the results of the initial designs for Reynolds number 14 reveal the notably different behaviour of the fluids during mixing due to their differing properties, since agar and the nutrient solution present a high viscosity ratio. While the mixing efficiency is similar for the internal and external mixers, improved performance is demonstrated in the internal mixer, even for a shorter version. The external version of the mixer reaches a value for a mixing efficiency of 0.89 whereas the internal version performs more homogeneous mixing for the same number of mixing elements. This evaluation is based on a simplified internal design for computational simulations, whereas the external mixer is easier to manufacture but more complex to implement computationally. Finally, homogeneous mixing is achieved for the internal mixer configuration when adjusting its dimensions to those available on the market |
| eu_rights_str_mv | openAccess |
| format | article |
| id | ES_adfafec9c6703ddb3377bc8c3eaa4466 |
| institution | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| instname_str | Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) |
| language | eng |
| network_acronym_str | ES |
| network_name_str | España |
| oai_identifier_str | oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/393089 |
| publishDate | 2023 |
| publishDateSort | 2023 |
| reponame_str | UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC |
| spelling | Helical static mixer simulations for its integration in the pour plate method: mixing agar and a nutrient solution Diaz Font, Ana M. Terrones Fernández, Inés Gámez Montero, Pedro Javier|||0000-0002-5168-3521 Castilla López, Roberto|||0000-0002-3848-2004 Fluid dynamics Computational fluid dynamics Laminar flow Viscosity Static mixer Helical mixer Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) High viscosity ratio Miscible liquids Mixing index Agar-nutrients Pour plate Dinàmica de fluids Dinàmica de fluids computacional Flux laminar Viscositat Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria mecànica::Mecànica de fluids In microbiology laboratories, it is essential to obtain high-quality samples where the culture media are completely homogeneous. The pour plate method includes having to melt the culture media—a mixture of agar and a nutrient solution—before seeding. A static mixer is designed for this purpose, employing CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) with the software OpenFOAM to simulate the fluid’s behaviour in a helical static mixer with both internal and external configurations. The objective is to validate the CFD model by comparing it with the literature and provide a first approach to the mixer design. After satisfactory validation of the model, the results of the initial designs for Reynolds number 14 reveal the notably different behaviour of the fluids during mixing due to their differing properties, since agar and the nutrient solution present a high viscosity ratio. While the mixing efficiency is similar for the internal and external mixers, improved performance is demonstrated in the internal mixer, even for a shorter version. The external version of the mixer reaches a value for a mixing efficiency of 0.89 whereas the internal version performs more homogeneous mixing for the same number of mixing elements. This evaluation is based on a simplified internal design for computational simulations, whereas the external mixer is easier to manufacture but more complex to implement computationally. Finally, homogeneous mixing is achieved for the internal mixer configuration when adjusting its dimensions to those available on the market This research was funded by Doctorats Industrials from Generalitat de Catalunya grant number 2021 DI 42. The APC was funded by Doctorats Industrials from Generalitat de Catalunya https://hdl.handle.net/2117/393089 https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en16155816 |
| spellingShingle | Helical static mixer simulations for its integration in the pour plate method: mixing agar and a nutrient solution Diaz Font, Ana M. Fluid dynamics Computational fluid dynamics Laminar flow Viscosity Static mixer Helical mixer Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) High viscosity ratio Miscible liquids Mixing index Agar-nutrients Pour plate Dinàmica de fluids Dinàmica de fluids computacional Flux laminar Viscositat Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria mecànica::Mecànica de fluids |
| title | Helical static mixer simulations for its integration in the pour plate method: mixing agar and a nutrient solution |
| title_full | Helical static mixer simulations for its integration in the pour plate method: mixing agar and a nutrient solution |
| title_fullStr | Helical static mixer simulations for its integration in the pour plate method: mixing agar and a nutrient solution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Helical static mixer simulations for its integration in the pour plate method: mixing agar and a nutrient solution |
| title_short | Helical static mixer simulations for its integration in the pour plate method: mixing agar and a nutrient solution |
| title_sort | Helical static mixer simulations for its integration in the pour plate method: mixing agar and a nutrient solution |
| topic | Fluid dynamics Computational fluid dynamics Laminar flow Viscosity Static mixer Helical mixer Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) High viscosity ratio Miscible liquids Mixing index Agar-nutrients Pour plate Dinàmica de fluids Dinàmica de fluids computacional Flux laminar Viscositat Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria mecànica::Mecànica de fluids |
| topic_facet | Fluid dynamics Computational fluid dynamics Laminar flow Viscosity Static mixer Helical mixer Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) High viscosity ratio Miscible liquids Mixing index Agar-nutrients Pour plate Dinàmica de fluids Dinàmica de fluids computacional Flux laminar Viscositat Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria mecànica::Mecànica de fluids |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/2117/393089 https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/en16155816 |