Understanding and Optimizing the SMX Static Mixer

Abstract Using the Mapping Method different designs of SMX motionless mixers are analyzed and optimized. The three design parameters that constitute a specific SMX design are: The number of cross‐bars over the width of channel, N x , the number of parallel cross‐bars per element, N p , and the angle between opposite cross‐bars θ . Optimizing N x , somewhat surprisingly reveals that in the standard design with N p = 3, N x = 6 is the optimum using both energy efficiency as well as compactness as criteria. Increasing N x results in under‐stretching and decreasing N x leads to over‐stretching of the interface. Increasing N p makes interfacial stretching more effective by co‐operating vortices. Comparing realized to optimal stretching, we find the optimum series for all possible SMX( n ) designs to obey the universal design rule N p = (2/3) N x −1, for N x = 3, 6, 9, 12, …. magnified image