Liquid mixing apparatus and liquid mixing method

Abstract

To provide a liquid mixing device which can suppress fluctuations of a cell volume ratio of a slag flow, in a mixed fluid forming the slag flow.SOLUTION: A liquid mixing device 100 includes: a fluid feeding part 200 for feeding a first fluid containing a plurality of liquids having mutual solubility and a second fluid having insolubility to the first fluid, into a mixed flow channel 40, feeding the first fluid into the mixed flow channel in a first fluid feeding amount, feeding the second fluid from a direction crossing the flow of the first fluid, and forming a slag flow in which cells of the first fluid and cells of the second fluid alternately flow side by side, in the mixed flow channel after joining; an absorbance detection part 60 for detecting absorbance for the slag flow; a cell volume ratio calculation part for calculating a cell volume ratio of the cells of the first fluid to the cells of the second fluid in the slag flow, on the basis of the detected absorbance; and a fluid feeding control part 80 for controlling fluid feeding of the fluid feeding part on the basis of the calculated cell volume ratio.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0005]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and a method for mixing liquids having solubility in each other within a microchannel.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as a reaction production method for producing a desired reaction product by mixing liquids (reactants) having solubility in each other in the flow of a fine channel and causing a reaction, a so-called microchannel reactor using a channel forming body is known. The microchannel reactor includes a substrate having a large number of minute grooves formed on its surface, and the fine channels formed by these grooves are used as reaction fields for liquid reactants.

[0003] By flowing liquid reactants into the microchannel, the contact surface area between the liquids per unit volume can be dramatically increased. By promoting the mixing of the liquid reactants in the microchannel, the channel length of the microchannel required until the mixing of the liquid reactants is completed can be shortened. This enables miniaturization of the entire microchannel reactor and suppresses the occurrence of unnecessary side reactions during the mixing of the liquid reactants.

[0004] As a means for promoting the mixing of liquids in the microchannel, a technique for forcibly forming a slug flow by introducing a fluid insoluble in the liquids to be mixed into the microchannel has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] In this context, "slug flow" refers to a flow in which incompatible fluids, such as a gas and a liquid, or an aqueous liquid and an oily liquid, flow simultaneously within a microchannel. In this flow, a first fluid phase consisting of one fluid and a second fluid phase consisting of the other fluid flow alternately along the longitudinal direction of the microchannel. Within a slug flow, incompatible fluids are separated by their phase interfaces, forming cells of the first fluid phase and cells of the second fluid phase that are arranged alternately. At this time, a circulating flow occurs within the fluid phase cells, resulting in localized stirring. These "cells" are also called "slugs" and are fluid columns that flow alternately within the microchannel.

[0006] In reaction manufacturing, mixing of liquid reactants can be promoted by forming a slug flow in a microchannel and utilizing the stirring action of the circulating flow generated within the fluid phase cell. In this specification, when forming a slug flow, the liquid to be mixed is referred to as the "liquid to be mixed," and a fluid that is insoluble in the liquid to be mixed is referred to as the "insoluble fluid."

[0007] In slug flow, the smaller the cell size of the liquid to be mixed, the greater the mixing-promoting effect of the circulating flow. In reaction manufacturing utilizing the mixing-promoting effect of slug flow, it is desirable to maintain the volume ratio of the cells of the liquid to be mixed to the cells of the insoluble fluid within a certain range. Specifically, the smaller the above volume ratio, the greater the degree to which the circulating flow contributes to mixing promotion, but the increase in the proportion of insoluble fluid cells reduces production efficiency and also leads to increased pressure loss in the mixing channel and an unnecessary increase in the consumption of insoluble fluid. Conversely, the larger the above volume ratio, the higher the production efficiency, but the reduced mixing-promoting effect of the circulating flow may result in a decrease in the quality of the reaction product. Conventionally, in reaction manufacturing using slug flow, the ratio of the volume of the cells of the liquid to be mixed to the volume of the cells of the insoluble fluid (hereinafter referred to as the "cell volume ratio") in the slug flow is predetermined by the amount of insoluble fluid supplied relative to the amount of liquid to be mixed supplied (hereinafter referred to as the "relative amount of insoluble fluid supplied"). [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-6130 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0009] For example, in the liquid mixing apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the relative amount of insoluble fluid supplied to form the slug flow is determined by a set value before the mixing reaction starts, and no means are provided to adjust the supply of insoluble fluid during the mixing reaction. However, during reaction production, variations may occur in the actual relative amount of insoluble fluid supplied due to factors such as the stability of the fluid supply, causing fluctuations in the cell volume ratio. Since there is no means to adjust the supply of insoluble fluid, it is not possible to respond to fluctuations in the cell volume ratio of the slug flow during reaction production. As a result, there is a problem of fluctuations in the quality and productivity of the reaction product. Therefore, from the viewpoint of further suppressing problems in the production of reaction products due to fluctuations in the cell volume ratio of the slug flow, there is still room for improvement in the configuration of conventional liquid mixing apparatuses.

[0010] This disclosure aims to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems and to provide a liquid mixing apparatus and liquid mixing method that can suppress fluctuations in the cell volume ratio of a slug flow in a mixed fluid in which a slug flow is formed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] To achieve the above objective, a liquid mixing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a liquid mixing apparatus for introducing and mixing a plurality of fluids into a mixing channel, comprising a fluid inlet for introducing a first fluid containing a plurality of mutually soluble liquids and a second fluid insoluble in the first fluid into the mixing channel, wherein the first fluid is introduced into the mixing channel at a first fluid inlet amount, and the second fluid is introduced into the mixing channel from a direction intersecting the flow of the first fluid introduced into the mixing channel at a second fluid inlet amount relative to the first fluid inlet amount, so that the second fluid The fluid supply unit forms a slug flow in which cells of a first fluid and cells of a second fluid flow alternately within a mixing channel after the fluids have merged; a mixing channel through which the supplied first fluid and second fluid merge and flow downstream; an absorbance detection unit for detecting the absorbance of the slug flow; a cell volume ratio calculation unit for calculating the cell volume ratio of cells of the first fluid and cells of the second fluid in the slug flow based on the detected absorbance; and a fluid supply control unit for controlling the fluid supply of the fluid supply unit based on the calculated cell volume ratio. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a liquid mixing apparatus can suppress fluctuations in the cell volume ratio of the slug flow in a mixed fluid in which a slug flow is formed, and can provide a reaction product with stable quality and productivity. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid mixing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] This figure shows an example of slug flow formed in the mixing channel of the liquid mixing apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 2B] This figure shows another example of the slug flow formed in the mixing channel of the liquid mixing apparatus shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a block diagram showing one example configuration of the computing device for the fluid injection control mechanism shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 3 is a flowchart of the program for the arithmetic unit. [Figure 5]This figure shows a flowchart of the liquid mixing process of a liquid mixing apparatus according to an embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 6A] This figure shows the control of fluid delivery according to an example of Example 1 of the liquid mixing process of a liquid mixing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6B] This figure shows the control of fluid delivery according to an example of Example 2 of the liquid mixing process of a liquid mixing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a liquid mixing apparatus for introducing and mixing multiple fluids into a mixing channel, comprising a fluid inlet for introducing a first fluid containing multiple mutually soluble liquids and a second fluid insoluble to the first fluid into the mixing channel, wherein the first fluid is introduced into the mixing channel at a first fluid inlet amount, and the second fluid is introduced into the mixing channel from a direction intersecting the flow of the first fluid introduced into the mixing channel at a second fluid inlet amount relative to the first fluid inlet amount, so that the first fluid is introduced into the mixing channel after the second fluid has merged with the first fluid. A liquid mixing apparatus is provided, comprising: a fluid inlet that forms a slug flow in which cells of a first fluid and cells of a second fluid flow alternately; a mixing channel that merges the introduced first fluid and second fluid and flows downstream; an absorbance detection unit that detects the absorbance of the slug flow; a cell volume ratio calculation unit that calculates the cell volume ratio of the cells of the first fluid and the cells of the second fluid in the slug flow based on the detected absorbance; and a fluid inlet control unit that controls the fluid inlet of the fluid inlet based on the calculated cell volume ratio.

[0015] According to this embodiment, in a mixed fluid in which a slug flow is formed, fluctuations in the cell volume ratio of the slug flow can be suppressed, and a reaction product with stable quality and productivity can be provided.

[0016] According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, the liquid mixing apparatus further includes a feed rate adjustment determination unit that determines adjustment of the second fluid feed rate by comparing the cell volume ratio calculated by the cell volume ratio calculation unit with a reference value of a predetermined cell volume ratio, and a fluid feed control unit that controls the second fluid feed rate based on the determined adjustment of the second fluid feed rate, as described in the first aspect.

[0017] According to a third aspect of the present disclosure, the absorbance detection unit is configured to detect the absorbance of the slug flow with respect to light of a first wavelength and the absorbance of the slug flow with respect to light of a second wavelength, wherein the first fluid has a higher absorption rate than the second fluid with respect to light of the first wavelength, and the second fluid has a higher absorption rate than the first fluid with respect to light of the second wavelength, as described in the first or second aspect.

[0018] According to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, the fluid feed unit includes a flow rate adjustment means, and the fluid feed control unit controls the second fluid feed rate by operating the flow rate adjustment means, as described in any one of the first to third aspects.

[0019] According to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a liquid mixing method for introducing and mixing a plurality of fluids into a mixing flow path, the method including a fluid feed step of feeding a first fluid including a plurality of liquids soluble in each other into the mixing flow path at a first fluid feed rate, and feeding a second fluid insoluble in the first fluid into the mixing flow path at a second fluid feed rate in a direction intersecting the flow of the first fluid fed into the mixing flow path, so as to form a slug flow in which cells of the first fluid and cells of the second fluid flow alternately side by side in the mixing flow path after the second fluid merges; a step of detecting the absorbance of the slug flow; a step of calculating a cell volume ratio between the cells of the first fluid and the cells of the second fluid in the slug flow based on the detected absorbance; and a step of controlling the second fluid feed rate based on the calculated cell volume ratio.

[0020] According to a sixth aspect of this disclosure, the step of detecting the absorbance of a slug flow flowing in a mixing channel after a second fluid has been introduced includes detecting the absorbance of the slug flow to light of a first wavelength and detecting the absorbance of the slug flow to light of a second wavelength, wherein the first fluid has a higher absorption rate than the second fluid to light of a first wavelength, and the second fluid has a higher absorption rate than the first fluid to light of a second wavelength, providing a liquid mixing method according to the fifth aspect.

[0021] A liquid mixing method according to a fifth or sixth aspect of the present disclosure is provided, wherein the step of controlling the amount of second fluid delivered based on a calculated cell volume ratio further includes the steps of determining whether to adjust the amount of second fluid delivered by comparing the calculated cell volume ratio with a reference value of a predetermined cell volume ratio, and controlling the amount of second fluid delivered based on the determined adjustment of the amount of second fluid delivered.

[0022] Furthermore, by appropriately combining any of the above various embodiments, the effects of each can be achieved.

[0023] The embodiments will be described in detail below, with reference to the drawings as appropriate. However, unnecessarily detailed explanations may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters and redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily verbose and to facilitate understanding for those skilled in the art.

[0024] A liquid mixing apparatus and liquid mixing method according to embodiments of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5B. The accompanying drawings and the following description are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims. In addition, elements in each figure are exaggerated for the sake of clarity. Substantially identical components in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0025] (Embodiment) 《Liquid mixing device》 Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of a liquid mixing device 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present disclosure. The liquid mixing device 100 shown in Figure 1 comprises a fluid inlet section 200, a mixing channel 40, a recovery container 50, and a fluid inlet control mechanism 300.

[0026] The liquid mixing device 100 can be used to introduce and mix multiple fluids into a mixing channel. In the liquid mixing device 100 shown in Figure 1, multiple liquids to be mixed that are soluble in each other and an insoluble fluid that is insoluble in the multiple liquids to be mixed are sequentially introduced into the mixing channel 40 from the fluid inlet 200. In the mixing channel 40, the introduced multiple fluids merge and flow toward the recovery container 50. The fluid inlet control mechanism 300 detects the absorbance of the slug flow formed in the mixing channel after the insoluble fluid has merged and controls the fluid inlet from the fluid inlet 200. Also, arrows A1, A2, B1, B2, and C in Figure 1 indicate the direction of fluid flow, and arrows D, E, and F indicate the direction of transmission of data or signals related to the control of fluid inlet. Note that the transmission of data or signals in the liquid mixing device 100 may be achieved by wired connection or by wireless connection. The components and operation of the liquid mixing device 100 will be described in detail below.

[0027] <Fluid inlet> The fluid supply section 200 includes a first liquid supply section 10, a second liquid supply section 20, and an insoluble fluid introduction section 30. The first liquid supply section 10 and the second liquid supply section 20 each supply a first liquid and a second liquid, which are soluble in each other, to the mixing channel 40, while the insoluble fluid introduction section 30 introduces an insoluble fluid, which is insoluble in the first liquid and the second liquid, into the mixing channel 40.

[0028] In this embodiment, the first liquid supply unit 10, the second liquid supply unit 20, and the insoluble fluid introduction unit 30 each include fluid containers 12, 22, and 32, and piping 14, 24, and 34 that connect these fluid containers to the mixing channel 40, respectively. Furthermore, pumps 16, 26, and 36 can be included to deliver the fluid from each of the first liquid's fluid containers 12, 22, and 32 to the mixing channel 40 through the piping 14, 24, and 34, respectively.

[0029] The first liquid and the second liquid supplied by the first liquid supply unit 10 and the second liquid supply unit 20 are sent into the mixing channel 40 along the illustrated directions A1 and A2, respectively, and merge at the confluence point P1. The merged liquids to be mixed then flow downstream C along the mixing channel 40. In this embodiment, an example of bringing two types of liquids into contact and mixing is shown, but when mixing three or more types of liquids, the fluid supply unit 200 may have a configuration similar to that of the first liquid supply unit 10 and the second liquid supply unit 20 arranged in parallel.

[0030] The insoluble fluid introduced by the insoluble fluid introduction section 30 is introduced into the mixing channel 40 from a direction intersecting the flow of the liquid to be mixed, which is introduced into the mixing channel 40 along the illustrated directions B1 and B2, and merges with the liquid to be mixed at the confluence point P2. In this embodiment, the insoluble fluid is introduced into the mixing channel 40 at the confluence point P2, which is downstream of the confluence point P1 where the liquid to be mixed is introduced into the mixing channel 40, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the liquid to be mixed and the insoluble fluid may be introduced into the mixing channel 40 simultaneously at the confluence point P1. The liquid to be mixed and the insoluble fluid introduced in this way can form a slug flow in the mixing channel 40 after they have merged, in which cells consisting of the liquid to be mixed and cells consisting of the insoluble fluid flow alternately. The formed slug flow flows further downstream C along the mixing channel 40 and flows into the recovery container 50 at the end P3 of the mixing channel 40. The slug flow formed in the mixing channel 40 will be described in detail later.

[0031] In this embodiment, the first liquid and the second liquid are aqueous solutions, but the disclosure is not limited thereto. The first liquid and the second liquid can be any liquid that is soluble in each other, and can be either water-soluble or water-insoluble. For example, the first liquid and the second liquid may be aqueous liquids or oil-soluble liquids. Furthermore, the mixing ratio of the first liquid and the second liquid can be freely set.

[0032] In this embodiment, the insoluble fluid according to this disclosure has cyclohexane as its main component, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The insoluble fluid can be any fluid that is insoluble in the liquid to be mixed. The insoluble fluid may be a liquid or a gas. For example, if the liquid to be mixed is water or an aqueous solution, the insoluble fluid can be, for example, a water-insoluble oily liquid or a gas. If the liquid to be mixed is an oily liquid, the insoluble fluid can be, for example, water. When a gas is used as the insoluble fluid, a gas cylinder can be provided instead of the fluid container 32, and a predetermined amount of gas can be pumped through the piping 34 to the mixing channel 40 by the pressure of the gas cylinder.

[0033] In this embodiment, pumps 16, 26, and 36 can be used as flow rate adjustment means when supplying the first liquid, second liquid, and insoluble fluid from the fluid container to the mixing channel, respectively. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto, and other flow rate adjustment means, such as a flow meter or proportional control supply valve (not shown), may be provided. When gas is used as the insoluble fluid, for example, a gas flow rate regulator (not shown) can be provided as a flow rate adjustment means for the insoluble fluid. In this embodiment, the pump 36 of the insoluble fluid introduction section 30 is electrically connected to the fluid supply control unit 80 of the fluid supply control mechanism 300, and the amount of insoluble fluid supplied can be controlled by operating under the control of the fluid supply control unit 80 during the mixing reaction. This will be described in detail later.

[0034] Furthermore, depending on the application, a constant temperature bath or the like may be provided between the first liquid supply unit 10 and the second liquid supply unit 20 to maintain a constant temperature of the first and second liquids supplied to the mixing channel 40. In this embodiment, the constant temperature bath or the like is omitted and is not shown.

[0035] <Mixing channel> The fluids supplied by the fluid supply section 200 merge in the mixing channel 40. The mixing channel 40 may be composed of micro-grooves, and in this embodiment, it includes a first channel section 41 and a second channel section 42. The first channel section 41 is a channel from the upstream confluence point P1 to the downstream confluence point P2, and contains a liquid to be mixed, formed by the merging of the first liquid and the second liquid. The second channel section 42 is a channel from the downstream confluence point P2 to the end point P3, and contains a slug flow formed by the merging of the liquid to be mixed and an insoluble fluid. In Figure 1, the mixing channel 40 is shown as a straight line, but this disclosure is not limited thereto. The mixing channel 40 may include, for example, a curved channel section, and may be composed of any length depending on the application.

[0036] In this embodiment, an absorbance meter 61 is placed near the second channel section 42 to detect the absorbance of the slug flowing within the second channel section 42. The absorbance meter 61 has the advantage of being able to detect the absorbance from outside the second channel section 42 without contacting the slug flow and without affecting the mixing reaction. The absorbance meter 61 will be described in detail later. In order to detect the absorbance of the slug flowing inside, it is desirable that the second channel section 42 be made of a transparent or translucent material. Specifically, for example, the second channel section 42 may be a transparent glass channel so that the slug flow can be seen from outside the channel, or it may be made using a translucent PFA or PTFE tube.

[0037] As shown in Figure 1, a slug flow is formed in the second channel section 42 of the mixing channel 40 when the liquid to be mixed and the insoluble fluid merge. The state of the slug flow flowing in the second channel section 42 will be explained with reference to Figures 2A and 2B. Figure 2A is a diagram showing an example 110 of the slug flow formed in the mixing channel of the liquid mixing apparatus of Figure 1. Figure 2B is a diagram showing another example 210 of the slug flow formed in the mixing channel of the liquid mixing apparatus of Figure 1. For the convenience of explanation in the following description, the fluid containing multiple liquids to be mixed that are introduced into the mixing channel will be referred to as the "first fluid," and the insoluble fluid that is insoluble in the liquids to be mixed will be referred to as the "second fluid."

[0038] <Slug Flow> As shown in Figure 2A, in this embodiment, the slug flow 110 flowing in the second flow channel 42a includes cells 11a and 12a of the first fluid containing the first and second liquids, and cells 11b, 12b, and 13b of the second fluid consisting of an insoluble fluid. The cells 11a and 12a of the first fluid and the cells 11b, 12b, and 13b of the second fluid are arranged alternately along the second flow channel 42a and flow in the downstream direction C.

[0039] In the slug flow 110, a circulating flow C11 is generated within the cells 11a and 12a of the first fluid, resulting in localized stirring. This promotes liquid mixing within the cells 11a and 12a of the first fluid. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2A, the cells 11a and 12a of the first fluid have a cell length L11a, while the cells 11b, 12b, and 13b of the second fluid have a cell length L11b.

[0040] In the following description, cell length refers to the average length of multiple cells of the first fluid or multiple cells of the second fluid in the slug flow in question. Furthermore, in this specification, the cells of the first fluid and the cells of the second fluid in the slug flow are assumed to be liquid column shapes with a uniform cross-sectional area. In this case, the cell volume ratio of the cells of the first fluid and the cells of the second fluid in the slug flow can be expressed as the ratio of the cell lengths of the cells of the first fluid and the cells of the second fluid. That is, the cell volume ratio of the slug flow 110 is L11a / L11b. This cell volume ratio fluctuates with changes in the relative injection rate of the second fluid, i.e., changes in the injection rate of the second fluid (hereinafter referred to as "second fluid injection rate") relative to the injection rate of the first fluid (hereinafter referred to as "first fluid injection rate").

[0041] For example, the slug flow 210 shown in Figure 2B is a slug flow formed by increasing the amount of second fluid supplied compared to the slug flow 110 shown in Figure 2A. As shown in the figure, the slug flow 210 flowing in the second flow channel 42b includes cells 21a, 22a, 23a of the first fluid and cells 21b, 22b, 23b, 24b of the second fluid. The cells 21a, 22a, 23a of the first fluid and the cells 21b, 22b, 23b, 24b of the second fluid flow alternately along the second flow channel 42b and flow downstream C.

[0042] As shown in the figure, in the slug flow 210, as the amount of second fluid introduced increases, the occupancy rate of the second fluid cells increases, and smaller, more fragmented cells of the first fluid are formed. In each of the smaller first fluid cells 21a, 22a, and 23a, a finer circulating flow C21 is formed than the circulating flow C11 in the slug flow 110. The cell volume ratio L21a / L21b of the slug flow 210 is smaller than the cell volume ratio L11a / L11b of the slug flow 110.

[0043] As mentioned above, in reaction manufacturing, it is desirable to maintain the cell volume ratio of the slug flow within a predetermined range in order to provide reaction products with stable quality and productivity. The cell volume ratio of the slug flow can be set in advance by setting the first fluid injection rate and the second fluid injection rate before starting the mixing reaction. However, during the mixing reaction, the cell volume ratio of the slug flow in the mixing channel may fluctuate due to variations in the actual value of the second fluid injection rate, as shown in Figures 2A and 2B. In this embodiment, the fluid injection control mechanism 300 can grasp the fluctuation in the cell volume ratio of the slug flow in the mixing channel and control the fluid injection at the fluid injection section based on that, thereby suppressing fluctuations in the cell volume ratio of the slug flow. The configuration of the fluid injection control mechanism 300 will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 and 3.

[0044] <Fluid feed control mechanism> Returning to Figure 1, the fluid supply control mechanism 300 according to this embodiment includes an absorbance detection unit 60, a calculation unit 70, and a fluid supply control unit 80. The calculation unit 70 is connected to the absorbance detection unit 60 and the fluid supply control unit 80, respectively, and the fluid supply control unit 80 is connected to a flow rate adjustment means provided in the fluid supply unit 200, which in this embodiment is connected to a pump 36.

[0045] (Absorbance detection unit) The absorbance detection unit 60 is used to detect the absorbance of the slug flow formed in the second channel section 42 of the mixing channel 40 after the second fluid has joined. In this embodiment, the absorbance detection unit 60 includes an absorbance measuring instrument 61 and a data transfer unit 62.

[0046] As shown in Figure 1, the absorbance meter 61 is positioned near the second channel section 42 of the mixing channel 40 and includes a light source and a light receiving section (not shown). In this embodiment, the light source of the absorbance meter 61 is configured to detect, for a predetermined time, the absorbance of the slug flow in the second channel section 42 with respect to a first detection light having a first wavelength and the absorbance of the slug flow with respect to a second detection light having a second wavelength. Here, for example, the first fluid has a higher absorption rate than the second fluid with respect to the first detection light, and the second fluid has a higher absorption rate than the first fluid with respect to the second detection light. This makes it possible to obtain the length of time for which the corresponding absorbances of the first fluid and the second fluid in the slug flow are detected, for a predetermined time. Furthermore, in order to identify the time at which the corresponding absorbances of the first fluid and the second fluid are detected for the first detection light and the second detection light, respectively, it is preferable that the first fluid and the second fluid have a certain difference in absorption rates with respect to the first detection light and the second detection light. For example, with respect to the first detection light, the first fluid may have an absorption rate of 0.7 or higher, while the second fluid may have an absorption rate of 0.2 or lower. With respect to the second detection light, the first fluid may have an absorption rate of 0.2 or lower, while the second fluid may have an absorption rate of 0.7 or higher.

[0047] Furthermore, depending on the application, for example, if there is no significant difference in the measured absorbance value due to reflection, scattering, etc., the absorbance meter 61 may be configured to further inject a reference light having a third wavelength into the slug flow to measure the absorbance. The light source section of the absorbance meter 61 can be equipped with optical elements such as diffraction gratings and beam splitters. These optical elements are omitted and not shown in this embodiment.

[0048] The light-receiving unit (not shown) of the absorbance meter 61 may, depending on the application, use, for example, a CCD or CMOS sensor to detect light in the visible light range, or a diode array detector (DAD) that supports light detection over a wider wavelength range may be used. In this embodiment, the light-receiving unit of the absorbance meter 61 is configured to detect light having two or more different wavelengths before it is incident on the slug flow in the second channel 42 and after it has passed through the slug flow, convert it into an electrical signal, and acquire absorbance data.

[0049] The absorbance data of the slug flow for two or more different wavelengths of light detected by the absorbance meter 61 is recorded in the data transfer unit 62 and transmitted to the computing unit 70. The data transfer unit 62 may also be equipped with a signal amplifier or the like. The absorbance detection mechanism of the absorbance detection unit 60 can employ the configuration of a conventionally known absorbance detection device, and further detailed explanation is omitted in this specification.

[0050] (computing device) The calculation unit 70 receives absorbance data of the slug flow from the absorbance detection unit 60 and can calculate the cell volume ratio of the slug flow based on the measurement results of the absorbance of the slug flow for two or more different wavelengths of light. The configuration of the calculation unit 70 will be described below with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the calculation unit 70 of the fluid supply control mechanism 300 shown in Figure 1. The calculation unit 70 is, for example, a computer device. A general-purpose computer device can be used as this computer device, and for example, as shown in Figure 3, it may include a processing unit 71, a storage unit 72, and a display unit 73. The calculation unit 70 may also include an input device, a storage device, an interface, etc. The calculation unit 70 can receive measurement data of the absorbance of the slug flow from the absorbance detection unit 60 and perform calculation processing.

[0051] ≪Processing Unit 71≫ The processing unit 71 may be, for example, a central processing unit (CPU), a microcomputer, or any processing unit capable of executing instructions that can be executed by a computer.

[0052] ≪Storage section 72≫ The storage unit 72 may be at least one of the following: ROM, EEPROM, RAM, flash SSD, hard disk, USB memory, magnetic disk, optical disk, magneto-optical disk, etc.

[0053] The memory unit 72 contains the program 75. If the arithmetic unit 70 is connected to a network, the program 75 may be downloaded from the network as needed.

[0054] ≪Program 75≫ Program 75 may include a cell volume ratio calculation unit 75a and a feed amount adjustment determination unit 75b. The cell volume ratio calculation unit 75a and the feed amount adjustment determination unit 75b are read from the storage unit 72 and executed by the processing unit 71 during execution.

[0055] The cell volume ratio calculation unit 75a can, for example, obtain the length of time during which the corresponding absorbances of the first fluid and the second fluid of the slug flow are detected within a predetermined time, based on the absorbance of the slug flow to two or more different wavelengths of light detected by the absorbance detection unit 60. Furthermore, the cell volume ratio of the slug flow can be calculated using the flow velocities of the first fluid and the second fluid in the mixing channel.

[0056] The fluid injection amount adjustment determination unit 75b can determine whether to adjust the second fluid injection amount by comparing the cell volume ratio calculated by the cell volume ratio calculation unit 75a with a predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio. Here, the predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio may be determined according to the application, and may be, for example, a certain reference range that can guarantee the quality and productivity of the desired reaction product. The fluid injection amount adjustment determination unit 75b can determine whether the calculated cell volume ratio of the slag flow is within the predetermined reference range for the cell volume ratio by comparing the cell volume ratio of the slag flow calculated by the cell volume ratio calculation unit 75a with a predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio. Furthermore, if it is determined that the calculated cell volume ratio of the slag flow exceeds the predetermined reference range for the cell volume ratio, the fluid injection amount can be adjusted to reduce the difference between the calculated cell volume ratio of the slag flow and the predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio. The determination of the adjustment of the second fluid injection amount by the fluid injection amount adjustment determination unit 75b will be explained in more detail in the subsequent description of the liquid mixing process.

[0057] Referring to Figure 4, the flow of the program 75 executed in the arithmetic unit 70 will be explained. Figure 4 is a flowchart of the program 75 of the arithmetic unit 70 in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 4, the program 75 consists of the following three steps. The cell volume ratio calculation unit 75a corresponds to step S701, and the feed amount adjustment determination unit 75b corresponds to steps S702 and S703. (1) Based on the absorbance of the slag flow detected by the absorbance detection unit 60, the cell volume ratio of the slag flow is calculated (S701). (2) Next, the adjustment of the second fluid injection amount is determined by comparing the calculated cell volume ratio of the slug flow with a predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio (S702). (3) Next, the determined adjustment of the second fluid supply amount is transmitted to the fluid supply control unit 80 (S703).

[0058] ≪Display section 73≫ The display unit 73 can, for example, display the cell volume ratio of the slug flow and / or the result of the adjustment of the second fluid injection amount obtained when the program 75 is executed by the processing unit 71, on a display or the like. The display unit 73 may be omitted depending on the application.

[0059] (Fluid feed control section) The fluid supply control unit 80 can control the fluid supply to the fluid supply unit 200 by operating the flow rate adjustment means of the fluid supply unit 200 based on the adjustment of the second fluid supply amount determined by the calculation unit 70. In this embodiment, the fluid supply control unit 80 is connected to a pump 36, which is a flow rate adjustment means for the insoluble fluid of the fluid supply unit 200 (Figure 1). For example, based on the determined adjustment of the second fluid supply amount, the fluid supply control unit 80 can operate the pump 36 to reduce the difference between the calculated cell volume ratio of the sludge flow and a predetermined reference value of the cell volume ratio, thereby adjusting the relative supply amount of the insoluble fluid, which is the second fluid.

[0060] Thus, the liquid mixing apparatus 100 of this disclosure can provide a reaction product with desired quality and productivity by controlling the fluid supply to the fluid supply section 200 with the fluid supply control mechanism 300, thereby suppressing fluctuations in the cell volume ratio of the slag flow during reaction production.

[0061] The liquid mixing process of the liquid mixing apparatus 100 according to the embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 5 to 6B. Figure 5 is a flowchart of the liquid mixing process of the liquid mixing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 6A is a diagram showing the control of fluid delivery according to an example of Embodiment 1 of the liquid mixing process of the liquid mixing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 6B is a diagram showing the control of fluid delivery according to an example of Embodiment 2 of the liquid mixing process of the liquid mixing apparatus 100 according to an embodiment of this disclosure. In Figures 6A and 6B, the lower section shows the absorbance of the slug flow in the mixing channel detected by the absorbance detection unit 60 at a predetermined time for light of two different wavelengths, and the upper section shows an image diagram of the configuration state of the slug flow corresponding to the absorbance measurement results shown in the lower section. Note that Embodiment 1 in Figure 6A and Embodiment 2 in Figure 6B differ only in the method of controlling fluid delivery by the fluid delivery control unit 80. In Figures 6A and 6B, similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the explanation of redundant content is omitted.

[0062] Liquid mixing process in a liquid mixing apparatus The liquid mixing process using the liquid mixing apparatus 100 will be explained using Figure 5, along with a reference to Figure 1.

[0063] (1) First, in S801, the first fluid and the second fluid are introduced into the mixing channel 40. In the embodiment of this disclosure, the main component of the first fluid, which contains a plurality of liquids that are soluble in each other, is water, and the main component of the second fluid, which is insoluble in the first fluid, is cyclohexane. The second fluid is introduced into the mixing channel 40 from a direction B2 that intersects with the flow of the first fluid introduced into the mixing channel 40 (see Figure 1). This causes a slug flow in which cells of the first fluid and cells of the second fluid flow alternately within the second channel section 42 of the mixing channel 40 after the second fluid has joined.

[0064] (2) Next, in S801, the first fluid supply amount, which is the amount of the first fluid to be supplied, and the second fluid supply amount, which is the amount of the second fluid to be supplied relative to the first fluid supply amount, are set. At this time, the first fluid and the second fluid are supplied by the pumps 16, 26, and 36, which are flow rate adjustment means provided in the fluid supply section 200, at the preset first fluid supply amount and second fluid supply amount, respectively. Furthermore, the supply of the second fluid can be set by a predetermined opening frequency and the supply flow rate when the valve of the pump 36 is open.

[0065] The initial settings for the first and second fluid injection amounts at the start of liquid mixing are not limited to those described herein. For example, they may be set manually, or the fluid injection control unit 80 may perform the initial setting by operating the flow rate adjustment means of the fluid injection unit 200. Note that steps S801 and S802 may be performed in the reverse order.

[0066] (3) In S803, the absorbance detection unit 60 detects the absorbance of the slug flow in the second channel section 42. At this time, the absorbance measuring instrument 61 of the absorbance detection unit 60 irradiates the slug flow in the second channel section 42 with light having two or more different wavelengths, measures the absorbance of the slug flow to each light for a predetermined time, and transmits the obtained absorbance data to the calculation unit 70.

[0067] Specifically, in this embodiment, the absorbance detection unit 60 detected the absorbance of the slug flow in the second flow channel 42 at times t31, t32, and t33 using detection light with a first wavelength of 950 nm and detection light with a second wavelength of 360 nm. In the lower part of Figures 6A and 6B, the measurement results using detection light with a wavelength of 950 nm are shown with "○", and the measurement results using detection light with a wavelength of 360 nm are shown with "×". In this embodiment, the first wavelength of 950 nm is the wavelength at which water, the main component of the first fluid, has a higher absorption rate, and the second wavelength of 360 nm is the wavelength at which cyclohexane, the main component of the second fluid, has a higher absorption rate. Therefore, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, by incidenting detection light with a first wavelength of 950 nm onto the slug flow, a first absorbance Aa1 corresponding to the first fluid was detected, and by incidenting detection light with a second wavelength of 360 nm onto the slug flow, a second absorbance Ab1 corresponding to the second fluid was detected. The values ​​of the first absorbance Aa1 and the second absorbance Ab1 may be the average of the absorbance measurements per unit time, or representative values ​​may be used. It is preferable to use the average value if a certain measurement error is included.

[0068] In the lower sections of Figures 6A and 6B, the length of time during which the first absorbance Aa1 corresponding to a single first fluid cell was detected and the length of time during which the second absorbance Ab1 corresponding to a single second fluid cell was detected are conceptually shown for each of the times t31, t32, and t33. As shown in the figure, in the slug flow 310 of Figure 6A, the first absorbance Aa1 corresponding to a single first fluid cell was detected at Δta31, Δta32, and Δta33, and the second absorbance Ab1 corresponding to a single second fluid cell was detected at Δtb31, Δtb32, and Δtb33. In the slug flow 410 in Figure 6B, the first absorbance Aa1 corresponding to a single first fluid cell was detected at Δta41, Δta42, and Δta43, and the second absorbance Ab1 corresponding to a single second fluid cell was detected at Δtb41, Δtb42, and Δtb43.

[0069] (4) Next, in S804, the cell volume ratio calculation unit 75a of the calculation device 70 calculates the cell volume ratio of the slug flow. At this time, based on the absorbance of the slug flow to two or more different wavelengths of light detected by the absorbance detection unit 60, for example, the length of time during which the corresponding absorbances of the first fluid and the second fluid contained in the slug flow are detected can be obtained. Furthermore, the cell volume ratio of the slug flow can be calculated using the flow velocities of the first fluid and the second fluid in the mixing channel.

[0070] Specifically, in this embodiment, the cell volume ratio calculation unit 76A can calculate the cell volume ratio based, for example, the length of time during which the first absorbance Aa1 was detected and the length of time during which the second absorbance Ab1 was detected at time t31, and the fluid velocity in the second flow channel 42. In this case, for example, the length of time during which the first absorbance Aa1 was detected at time t31 can be taken as the sum of Δta31, and the length of time during which the second absorbance Ab1 was detected can be taken as the sum of Δtb31. The upper part of Figures 6A and 6B shows the average lengths of the multiple first fluid cells and the multiple second fluid cells in the slug flow at times t31, t32, and t33, respectively. Note that the first fluid cells and the second fluid cells can be assumed to be liquid columns with a uniform cross-sectional area, and the cell volume can be expressed as the cell length. In this way, the cell volume ratios L31a / L31b (Figure 6A) and L41a / L41b (Figure 6B) between the cells of the first fluid and the cells of the second fluid at slug flow 310 and 410 at time t31 were calculated.

[0071] In this embodiment, there was a significant difference between the first absorbance value Aa1 measured at a first wavelength of 950 nm and the second absorbance value Ab1 measured at a second wavelength of 360 nm. Therefore, the cell volume ratio of the slug flow could be calculated based on the absorbance values ​​measured at the two wavelengths. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, if there is no significant difference between the absorbance values ​​measured at the two wavelengths, the cell volume ratio of the slug flow can be calculated by further utilizing the absorbance value measured using a third wavelength of light as a reference light. The third wavelength may be, for example, a wavelength that is not absorbed by either the first or second fluid, and in this embodiment, a wavelength of 600 nm, which is not absorbed by either water or cyclohexane.

[0072] Furthermore, when calculating the cell volume ratio using absorbance values ​​measured with light of a third wavelength, the first absorbance value can be obtained by subtracting the absorbance value at the third wavelength of 600 nm from the absorbance value at the first wavelength of 950 nm. Similarly, the second absorbance value can be obtained by subtracting the absorbance value at the third wavelength of 600 nm from the absorbance value at the second wavelength of 360 nm.

[0073] (5) Next, in S805, the fluid supply amount adjustment determination unit 75b of the calculation unit 70 determines the adjustment of the second fluid supply amount. At this time, the adjustment of the second fluid supply amount can be determined by comparing the cell volume ratio of the slug flow calculated by the cell volume ratio calculation unit 75a with a predetermined reference value of the cell volume ratio.

[0074] For example, in determination 1, if the calculated cell volume ratio of the slug flow is greater than a predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio, it is possible to determine whether to adjust the amount of the second fluid to be delivered so as to decrease the amount of the second fluid delivered (S806). Conversely, in determination 2, if the calculated cell volume ratio of the slug flow is smaller than a predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio, it is possible to determine whether to adjust the amount of the second fluid to be delivered so as to increase the amount of the second fluid delivered (S807). Also, in determination 3, if the calculated cell volume ratio of the slug flow is within the predetermined reference range for the cell volume ratio, it is possible to determine whether to adjust the amount of the second fluid to be delivered so as to maintain the amount of the second fluid delivered (S808).

[0075] Specifically, in this embodiment, the supply amount adjustment determination unit 75b compares the calculated cell volume ratios L31a / L31b and L41a / L41b of the slug flow 310 and 410 at time t31 with a predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B. In this embodiment, for example, the ratio of the cell volume of the first fluid to the cell volume of the second fluid is defined as the cell volume ratio of the slug flow, and the reference value for this cell volume ratio can be in the range of 1 / 5 to 4. In this case, for example, if the comparison by the supply amount adjustment determination unit 75b shows that the cell volume ratios L31a / L31b and L41a / L41b at t31 are less than the reference value for the cell volume ratio of 1 / 5, then determination 1 shown in Figure 5 is determined. In other words, in the slag flow 310,410 of t31, the cells 311a,411a of the first fluid are small, and the proportion of cells 311b,312b and 411b,412b of the second fluid is too large, which is estimated to affect the ability to secure the desired reaction productivity. In this case, the fluid supply adjustment determination unit 75b can determine to adjust the amount of the second fluid supplied so as to reduce the amount of the second fluid supplied (S806 shown in Figure 5).

[0076] Conversely, for example, if the cell volume ratios L31a / L31b and L41a / L41b of the slag flow 310 and 410 at time t31, calculated by the comparison by the fluid flow rate adjustment determination unit 75b, exceed the standard value of 4 for the cell volume ratio, then determination 2 shown in Figure 5 is obtained. That is, in the slag flow 310 and 410 at t31, the cells 311a and 411a of the first fluid are large, and the proportion of cells 311b, 312b and 411b and 412b of the second fluid is too small, which is estimated to affect the quality assurance of the desired reaction product. In this case, the fluid flow rate adjustment determination unit 75b can determine to adjust the second fluid flow rate to increase the second fluid flow rate (S807 shown in Figure 5).

[0077] Furthermore, based on the comparison results by the fluid injection rate adjustment determination unit 75b, if the cell volume ratios L31a / L31b and L41a / L41b of the slag flows 310 and 410 at time t31 are within the standard range of 1 / 5 to 4 for the cell volume ratio, then determination 3 as shown in Figure 5 is obtained. In other words, it is estimated that the desired reaction productivity and the desired quality of the reaction product can be ensured in the slag flows 310 and 410 at time t31. In this case, the fluid injection rate adjustment determination unit 75b can determine to adjust the second fluid injection rate so as to maintain the second fluid injection rate (S808 as shown in Figure 5).

[0078] Next, the determination result regarding the adjustment of the second fluid injection amount by the injection amount adjustment determination unit 75b is transmitted to the fluid injection control unit 80. Based on the determination result, the fluid injection control unit 80 controls the fluid injection unit 200 to reset the second fluid injection amount to the adjusted value by operating the flow rate adjustment means (returning to S802), or maintains the set second fluid injection amount and proceeds with liquid mixing. The control of the second fluid injection amount by the fluid injection control unit 80 will be described below with reference to Figures 6A and 6B, and will be given to Examples 1 and 2 of the liquid mixing process according to the embodiment of this disclosure.

[0079] In Example 1 shown in Figure 6A and Example 2 shown in Figure 6B, the cell volume ratio of the slag flow 310,410 calculated based on the absorbance detected at time t31 exceeds the reference value of 4 for the cell volume ratio (S807 shown in Figure 5). In this case, based on the determination by the fluid supply amount adjustment determination unit 75b to "increase the second fluid supply amount," the fluid supply control unit 80 returns to S802 and resets the second fluid supply amount to increase it.

[0080] In Embodiment 1 shown in Figure 6A, the fluid supply control unit 80 increased the amount of the second fluid supplied by increasing the opening frequency of the valve of the pump 36, which is a flow rate adjustment means for the second fluid, from time t2 to t3. At times t32 and t33, the cell volume ratio of the slug flow was calculated based on the length of time for which the first absorbance Aa1 corresponding to the first fluid and the second absorbance Ab1 corresponding to the second fluid were detected, and the fluid velocity in the second flow channel 42. As a result, as shown in the upper part of Figure 6A, the calculated cell volume ratios of the slug flows 320 and 330 decreased to L32a / L32b and L33a / L33b from time t32 to t33. At this time, it is thought that the number of cells of the second fluid increased in the slug flows 320 and 330 at times t2 and t3 to 321b, 322b, 323b, and 331b, 332b, 333b, and 334b. Therefore, it is inferred that from time t2 to t3, smaller first fluid cells 321a, 322a, and 331a, 332a, 333a were formed, and the formation of finer circulating flows C32 and C33 within them increased the degree to which they contributed to promoting mixing.

[0081] In Embodiment 2 shown in Figure 6B, the fluid supply control unit 80 increased the amount of the second fluid supplied by maintaining the opening frequency of the valve of the pump 36, which is a flow rate adjustment means for the second fluid, from time t2 to t3, and increasing the discharge flow rate when the valve of the pump 36 is open. Similar to Embodiment 1, at times t32 and t33, the cell volume ratio of the slug flow was calculated based on the length of time during which the first absorbance Aa1 corresponding to the first fluid and the second absorbance Ab1 corresponding to the second fluid were detected, and the fluid velocity in the second flow channel 42. As a result, as shown in the upper part of Figure 6B, from time t32 to t33, the cell volume ratios of the slug flows 420 and 430 calculated based on the absorbance detected by the absorbance detection unit 60 decreased to L42a / L42b and L43a / L43b. At this time, in the slug flows 420 and 430 at times t2 and t3, the lengths of the second fluid cells increased to L42b and L43b, while the lengths of the first fluid cells shortened to L42a and L43a. Therefore, it is inferred that from time t2 to t3, smaller first fluid cells 421a, 422a, and 431a, 432a were formed, and the formation of finer circulating flows C42 and C43 within them increased the degree to which they contributed to promoting mixing.

[0082] Thus, in both Example 1 and Example 2, the slug flow whose cell volume ratio exceeded the reference value at time t31 was controlled so that the cell volume ratio decreased from time t2 to t3, improving the condition in which the quality assurance of the reaction product was affected. When using a pump as a means of flow rate adjustment, for example, if it is difficult to maintain a constant flow rate under a single set condition due to the characteristics of the pump, the control method by adjusting the discharge flow rate when the pump valve is open, as shown in Figure 6B, is desirable. Also, although not shown here, conversely, for slug flows whose cell volume ratio is below the reference value (Judgment 2 shown in Figure 5), the condition in which the assurance of the desired reaction productivity is affected can also be improved by a similar control method. In reaction production, by repeating operations S802 to 805, and 806, 807, or 808, fluctuations in the cell volume ratio of the slug flow can be suppressed, and reaction products with stable quality and productivity can be provided.

[0083] In the above embodiment, the control of the second fluid injection amount, i.e., the relative injection amount of the second fluid to the injection amount of the first fluid, was described as being performed by adjusting the injection amount of the second fluid by the fluid injection unit. However, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the injection amount of the first fluid may be adjusted separately or in combination depending on the application.

[0084] Furthermore, although the above embodiment describes controlling the fluid injection based on a comparison between the calculated cell volume ratio and a predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio, this disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the fluid injection can also be controlled based on a comparison between the fluctuation in the cell volume ratio of the slug flow, calculated based on the absorbance of the slug flow measured continuously, and a predetermined reference value.

[0085] As described above, the attached drawings and detailed description are provided to illustrate the embodiments of the technology described herein. Therefore, the components described in the attached drawings and detailed description may include not only components essential for solving the problem, but also components that are not essential for solving the problem, in order to illustrate the technology described above. Therefore, the mere presence of such non-essential components in the attached drawings and detailed description should not be immediately assumed to mean that those non-essential components are essential.

[0086] While this disclosure is fully described in relation to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Such modifications, as well as embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments, are also included in the technical scope of this disclosure. [Industrial applicability]

[0087] This disclosure is applicable to apparatus for mixing fluids that are soluble in each other. This disclosure is applicable, for example, to reaction manufacturing using hydrothermal synthesis reactions. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0088] 10,20 Liquid supply section 30 Insoluble fluid introduction section 40 Mixing channel 12,22,32 Fluid containers 14, 24, 34 Piping 16, 26, 36 pumps 41, 42, 42a, 42b Flow channel section 50 collection containers 60 Absorbance detection unit 61 Absorbance meter 62 Data Transfer Section 70 Arithmetic unit 71 Processing Unit 72 Memory section 73 Display section 75 Programs 75a Cell volume ratio calculation unit 75b Feed Rate Adjustment Determination Unit 80 Fluid Feed Control Unit 100 Liquid Mixing Device 200 Fluid Feed Unit 300 Fluid Feed Control Mechanism 110, 210 Slag Flow 310, 320, 330 Slag Flow 410, 420, 430 Slag Flow C11, C21 Circulation Flow C31, C32, C33 Circulation Flow C41, C42, C43 Circulation Flow L11a, L21a, L31a, L41a Cell Length L11b, L21b, L31b, L41b Cell Length

Claims

1. A liquid mixing device that introduces and mixes multiple fluids in a mixing channel, A fluid supply unit for supplying a first fluid containing a plurality of mutually soluble liquids and a second fluid insoluble in the first fluid to a mixing channel, wherein the fluid supply unit supplies the first fluid to the mixing channel at a first fluid supply rate, and supplies the second fluid to the mixing channel from a direction intersecting the flow of the first fluid supplied to the mixing channel at a second fluid supply rate relative to the first fluid supply rate, thereby forming a slug flow in the mixing channel after the second fluid has merged, in which cells of the first fluid and cells of the second fluid flow alternately in the same direction. A mixing channel is provided to combine the first fluid and the second fluid that have been introduced and allow them to flow downstream, An absorbance detection unit for detecting the absorbance of the slag flow, A cell volume ratio calculation unit calculates the cell volume ratio between the cells of the first fluid and the cells of the second fluid in the slag flow based on the detected absorbance, A fluid supply control unit that controls the fluid supply to the fluid supply unit based on the calculated cell volume ratio, Equipped with, The absorbance detection unit is, It is configured to detect the absorbance of the slug flow to light of a first wavelength and the absorbance of the slug flow to light of a second wavelength. With respect to light of the first wavelength, the first fluid has a higher absorption rate than the second fluid, and with respect to light of the second wavelength, the second fluid has a higher absorption rate than the first fluid. Liquid mixing equipment.

2. It is further equipped with a feed amount adjustment and determination unit. The aforementioned feed amount adjustment determination unit is: By comparing the cell volume ratio calculated by the cell volume ratio calculation unit with a predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio, the adjustment of the second fluid injection amount is determined. The fluid supply control unit controls the second fluid supply amount based on the determined adjustment of the second fluid supply amount. The liquid mixing apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The fluid supply section includes a flow rate adjustment means, The fluid supply control unit controls the amount of the second fluid supplied by operating the flow rate adjustment means. The liquid mixing apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. A liquid mixing method for introducing and mixing multiple fluids in a mixing channel, A fluid supply step comprising: supplying a first fluid containing a plurality of mutually soluble liquids to the mixing channel at a first fluid supply rate; supplying a second fluid insoluble in the first fluid to the mixing channel from a direction intersecting the flow of the first fluid supplied to the mixing channel at a second fluid supply rate relative to the first fluid supply rate, thereby forming a slug flow in the mixing channel after the second fluid has merged, in which cells of the first fluid and cells of the second fluid flow alternately in the same direction; A step of detecting the absorbance of the slag flow, A step of calculating the cell volume ratio of the cells of the first fluid and the cells of the second fluid in the slag flow based on the detected absorbance, A step of controlling the amount of the second fluid delivered based on the calculated cell volume ratio, Includes, The step of detecting the absorbance of the slug flow in the mixing channel after the second fluid has been introduced is: Detecting the absorbance of the slug flow to light of a first wavelength, and detecting the absorbance of the slug flow to light of a second wavelength, Includes, With respect to light of the first wavelength, the first fluid has a higher absorption rate than the second fluid, and with respect to light of the second wavelength, the second fluid has a higher absorption rate than the first fluid. Liquid mixing method.

5. The step of controlling the amount of the second fluid delivered based on the calculated cell volume ratio is as follows: The steps include determining the adjustment of the second fluid injection amount by comparing the calculated cell volume ratio with a predetermined reference value for the cell volume ratio, A step of controlling the amount of the second fluid to be delivered based on the adjustment of the second fluid delivery amount determined, This also includes, The liquid mixing method according to claim 4.

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