Leveraging Fluid Dynamics to Drive Innovation in Microreactor Technology

This thesis explores the performance and applicability of an X-microreactor for various fluid systems, focusing on two primary objectives. Part I investigates the flow regimes and mixing characteristics within the X-microreactor, employing both experimental and numerical methods to understand the intricate relationship between fluid properties and flow dynamics. The study begins with the analysis of non-reactive fluids, specifically pure water and water-ethanol mixtures, to examine how variations in viscosity and density influence flow behavior and mixing efficiency. Then, the same microreactor is fed with reactive streams to evaluate its capability for intensifying chemical reactions. Part II focuses on the investigation of droplet and nanoparticle production within the same X-microreactor used in Part I, expanding the scope of the research to explore its broader applications in materials science and nanotechnology. First, the X-microreactor is employed to generate chitosan nanoparticles through the nanoprecipitation technique. Then, the production of sodium alginate droplets using the segmentation of the dispersed phase method within the X-microreactor is investigated. In addition, the potential of the parallelization of microreactors is explored.