Digital and lean development method for 3D-printed reactors based on CAD modeling and CFD simulation

• Published in: Chemical engineering research & design 2019-12, Vol.152, p.71-84
• Main Authors: Bettermann, Sven, Kandelhard, Felix, Moritz, Hans-Ulrich, Pauer, Werner
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 3-D technology; 3D-printed reactor; 3D-printed static mixing element; CAD; CAD modeling; CFD simulation; Computational fluid dynamics; Computer aided design; Computer simulation; Design optimization; Digital and lean development method; Emulsion polymerization; Flow performance; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Mathematical models; Mixers; Reactor design; Reactors; Simulation; Three dimensional models; Three dimensional printing
• ISSN: 0263-8762; 1744-3563
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2019.09.024

[Display omitted] •Combined digital and lean development with 3D printingas reactor fabrication technique.•Iterative development method for process innovation and intensification.•Detailed CFD simulation and CAD modeling leading to optimized flow patterns.•Proactive usage of Dean vortices by simultaneous reduction of dead zones.•Tailor-made implementation of 3D-printed static mixing elements into reactor geometry. The compatibility of computer-aided design (CAD) with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) softwares was used to establish a digital and lean development method for 3D-printed reactors which allows for shorter development cycles and targeted process setup. CAD modeling, as the starting point of an additive manufacturing process, creates 3D-designs, which can be directly evaluated by CFD simulation. Thus, challenging assumptions or issues regarding the performance of a tubular reactor can be visualized and redefined to create iteratively new strategies and solutions in a cost- and time-effective way. Our approach enables to build and deliver reactor designs incrementally and faster as it can be performed digitally and tailored to specific requirements. The developed reactor design subsequently can be fabricated directly by 3D printing techniques. The method is based on an established 3D-printed tubular bended reactor for emulsion polymerizations, without being limited to a specific case and enabled the lean fabrication of a tubular reactor being developed to proactively use Dean vortices by reducing dead zones in a more compact design. Optimized flow patterns were further obtained by the tailor-made implementation of static mixing elements at targeted positions of the reactor design.