ABSTRACT From the viewpoint of chemical engineering, a vortex has many useful functions, such as mixing, transport, accumulation, and separation. To maximize these functions, continuous chemical reactors using vortex dynamics, such as Taylor-Couette flow reactor, oscillatory baffled reactor, and slug flow reactor, have been proposed for chemical process intensification. These reactors have been developed with a focus on efficient heat and mass transfer because their residence time distribution can be precisely controlled. This review introduces the Taylor-Couette flow reactor with modified geometry to maximize the Taylor vortex flow function for process intensification with multiphase or reactive liquid flow. A ribbed inner cylinder is utilized to intensify gas-liquid mass transfer for mixing in biopolymer processing. In addition, enhancement of the mixing of shear-thinning fluid by a conical Taylor-Couette flow is introduced. This review will inspire chemical engineers to develop new types of reactors that exploit vortices in the future.
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