Chaotic Mixing Analyzing in Continuous Mixer with Tracing the Morphology Development of a Polymeric Drop

Abstract

The chaotic mixing process in a continuous mixer plays an important role and has an essential influence on the performance of prepared materials. To reveal how a polymeric drop experienced the chaotic mixing and give more specific analysis about the chaotic mixing, the morphology development of a single drop was traced and recorded with an on-line visualization system. The drop would undergo elongation deformation, reorientation, and folding process, which were the typical signs of chaotic mixing. The elongation deformation was an important precondition for drop experiencing the reorientation and folding process and mainly existed in the region near the barrier, rotor tip clearance, and wedgelike region. The reorientation and folding process mostly appeared in the region near the rotor flat and interaction window. Besides, the erosion process of the drop was observed at the initial stage under lower rotor rotation speed. The chaotic mixing always held the dominant place in continuous mixer although the rotor rotation speed and drop viscoelasticity were adjusted. In this work, the chaotic mixing in a continuous mixer was dynamically presented. The dynamical results would give a more real and visual understanding of the chaotic mixing.