Recent progresses in intensified heat exchanger reactors with millimetric zigzag channels

Carrying out exothermic reactions requires efficient heat removal to operate safely and limit the formation of by-products. It is for this purpose that continuous intensified heat exchanger reactors have been developed. The article presents an experimental method based on planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) that has been implemented to measure temperature fields in zigzag millimetric channels. These channels are used in high-performance heat exchangers reactors designed by LGC and partners. The accuracy of the method is evaluated by comparison with CFD results and shows good agreement between the experimental and numerical data in both laminar and turbulent flow regime.