3.3 Planar (XY) Mixing Analysis
Active mixing images were taken from wells driven by RBL posts at 9,000 rpm. Frames from real-time videos were selected at intervals t=0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 min. Diffusion images without active mixing (static RBL posts) were selected from time-lapse series at intervals t=0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. As demonstrated in Figure 3A, homogeneity was achieved quicker when mixed via micropost agitation (t = 2 min) verse diffusion alone (t = 120 min), indicating micropost agitation offers greater radial mixing capabilities than diffusion alone.
Relative Mixing Index (RMI) as outlined by Hashmi, 2014 [14] was utilized to compare the active mixing profile of three different rotational mixing speeds: 3000, 6000, and 9000 rpm. As demonstrated in Figure 3B, complete mixing was achieved sooner (90 s) at the highest rotational speed (9000 rpm), however the moderate mixing speed (6000 rpm) achieved complete mixing the slowest (215 s).