Micromixing experiments in the undergraduate curriculum

An issue that is not typically covered reactor design courses is mixing and reactions. In the chapter on multiple reactions in the standard chemical reaction engineering text by Fogler, it is assumed that the reactions are slow compared to the mixing of species. The classic examples for parallel reactions and series reactions are given, but these examples do not cover the basic concept of micro-mixing with respect to the reactants. Only in the final chapter of this text is the concept of micro-mixing introduced using a mathematical theory that is relatively complex for undergraduates. We believe that it is important for undergraduates to have a concept of the importance of micro-mixing on chemical reactions in industrial reactors. This paper describes a series of experiments designed to introduce the concept of micro-mixing in an undergraduate chemical reaction engineering course. These experiments will give the basic problems associated with this phenomenon and illustrate the limitations of the ideal reactor models.