Qiang Huo’s research while affiliated with Xi'an Jiaotong University and other places

Resonant acoustic mixing (RAM) is a widely applied technology that utilizes low-frequency vertical harmonic vibration for fluid transfer and mixing. However, the current research on the mixing mechanism of RAM technology primarily focuses on the initial mixing stages, neglecting the subsequent turbulent transition. This lack of understanding hinders the further improvement of RAM technology. This paper aims to investigate the mixing mechanism of power-law non-Newtonian fluids (NNF) in RAM using the phase field model and the spectral analysis. The study focuses on understanding the facilitating effect of turbulent transition in mixing and explores the influence of the power-law index and the excitation parameter on the mixing characteristics. The results indicate that the flow field experiences Faraday instability due to the intense perturbation during transient mixing. This leads to the fluid mixing through the development of large-scale vortex to small-scale vortex. During this process, the frequency components of the flow field are distributed around the working frequency, demonstrating transient and broad frequency characteristics. The steady state then dissipates energy through the viscous dissipation of small-scale vortices and ultimately relies on the single-frequency components such as submultiples and multiples excited by the nonlinear effect to complete the mixing. The mixing effects of NNF and Newtonian fluids (NF) are essentially the same, but they consume energy in different ways. The mixing uniformity and mixing efficiency of NNF increase with increasing vibration acceleration and decrease with increasing vibration frequency. These findings provide new insights into the RAM mechanism of power-law NNF.

Resonance Acoustic MixingⓇ(RAM) technology applies an external low-frequency vertical harmonic vibration to mix ultrafine granular materials and subsequently non-Newtonian fluids. Although this system is used for various applications, its mechanism is yet not well understood, especially in the mixing of non-Newtonian fluids. To address this gap in knowledge, a phase model of the shear-thinning and shear-thickening non-Newtonian power-law fluid in a low-frequency vertical harmonic vibration container is established in this study, and the different power-law index is also considered. During the initial mixing process, there is Faraday instability at the gas–liquid interface, and Faraday waves are related to the power-law index. With the continuous input of external energy, the flow field is further destabilized, so that the uniform mixing is finally completed. In addition, the rheology of non-Newtonian fluids is consistent with the constitutive relation of power-law fluids. The dynamic viscosity of shear-thinning non-Newtonian fluid decreases rapidly with the increase of mixing time, while the shear-thickening non-Newtonian fluid decreases rapidly with the increase of mixing time. The variation of shear rate for Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids is identical. Finally, a proper vibration parameter for the high mixing efficiency of RAM is proposed.

Resonance Acoustic Mixing ® (RAM) technology applies an external low-frequency vertical harmonic vibration to convey and mix the non-Newtonian fluid across space. However, although this method is used for various applications, its mechanism is yet not well understood. In this paper, we investigate the Faraday instability of power-law non-Newtonian fluids in RAM utilizing theory and simulations. According to the Floquet analysis and the dimensionless Mathieu equation, the critical stable region besides the stable region and the unstable region is discovered. Based on the numerical solutions of the two-dimensional incompressible Euler equations for a prototype Faraday instability flow, the temporal evolution of the surface displacement and the mechanism of Faraday waves for two cases are explored physically. For the low forcing displacement, there are only stable and critical stable regions. The surface deformation increases linearly and then enters the steady-state in which the fluctuation frequency is twice the vertical harmonic vibration. For the large forcing displacement, there are only stable and unstable regions. Under the effect of the inertial force, both cases have a sudden variation after the brief stabilization period. Furthermore, a ligament structure is observed, which signals that the surface is destabilized. In addition, a band-like pressure minimum distribution below the interface is formed. The fluid flows from the bottom to the crest portion to balance the pressure difference, which raises the crest.