A Taylor vortex photocatalytic reactor for water purification

Abstract

A detailed analysis has been performed for a heterogeneous photocatalytic Taylor vortex reactor that uses flow instability to recirculate fluid continually from the vicinity of the rotating inner cylindrical surface to the stationary outer cylindrical surface of an annulus. In the present research, a detailed time-accurate computation shows the different stages of flow evolution and the effects of the finite length of the reactor in creating eddies, which results in a very high overall efficiency of photocatalytic conversion. The physical arrangement considered is such that pollutant degradation is maximized by the motion of fluid particles in a specific regime of centrifugal instability. Also provided are detailed flow structures for the chosen parameters when the reactor is started impulsively.