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CFD simulation of floating particles suspension in a stirred tank

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Abstract

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed to predict the floating particles suspension in a baffled tank stirred by a standard Rushton turbine. An Eulerian multiphase model and a standard k-ε turbulence model with mixture properties were used in the CFD simulation. The impeller rotation was solved using a moving reference frame method. Flow pattern, power number and solid holdup distribution were obtained and compared with the results in literature. The effects of operating condition on floating particles suspension characteristics were studied. It indicated that the influences of impeller speed and solid loading on particle suspension varied with particle sizes. For small particles, the impeller speed and solid loading have no obvious effects on solid holdup distribution and suspension quality. For large particles, particle suspension quality becomes better first, and then keeps almost unchanged with enhancing of the impeller speed. Suspension quality is better for higher solid loading of large particles. Within the scope of the present study, solid loading has no great effect on suspension quality. Suspension quality becomes worse with increasing of the particle size. Large particles are easy to accumulate in the centres of the liquid free surface and the upper circular loop, and the vicinity of the shaft.

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Abbreviations

a i :

Hold up of phase i

a s,avg :

Average solid holdup

C :

Clearance of impeller plane to bottom of the stirred tank (m)

\(C_{1\varepsilon }\), \(C_{2\varepsilon }\), \(C_{3\varepsilon }\), \(C_{\mu }\) :

Turbulence model constants

C D :

Drag coefficient

d :

Diameter of the dispersed phase particles (m)

D :

Diameter of the impeller (m)

D C :

Disc diameter of the impeller (m)

F c :

Centrifugal and Coriolis forces per volume (N m−3)

F i :

Interphase forces between the dispersed phase and continuous phase per volume (N m−3)

g :

Gravitation acceleration (m s−2)

h :

Axial coordinate in the tank (m)

H :

Liquid height (m)

H 1 :

Height of the air zone in the tank (m)

k :

Turbulent kinetic energy (m2 s−2)

l :

The height of the impeller blade (m)

N :

Impeller rotation speed (r min−1)

n :

The number of the samples in Eq. (12)

n b :

The number of the baffles

p :

Static pressure (Pa)

r :

Radial location in the tank (m)

R :

Radius of the tank (m)

Re :

Reynolds number

t :

Time (s)

T :

Diameter of the tank (m)

\(\vec{U}\) :

Velocity vector (m s−1)

U tip :

Velocity of the blade tip (m s−1)

w :

The width of the impeller blade (m)

w b :

The width of the baffles (m)

z :

The axial distance from the location to centre of the impeller (m)

ε :

Turbulent energy dissipation (m2 s−3)

μ eff :

Effective viscosity (kg m−1 s−1)

\(\mu_{\text{l}}\) :

Dynamic viscosity of continuous phase (kg m−1 s−1)

\(\mu_{\text{t}}\) :

Turbulent viscosity (kg m−1 s−1)

ρ :

Density (kg m−3)

\(\sigma_{k}\), \(\sigma_{\varepsilon }\) :

Turbulent model constants:

\(\tau_{{{\text{eff}},i}}\) :

Reynolds stress tensor of phase i (N m−2)

i :

Number of phases

g :

Gas phase

l :

Liquid phase

m :

Mixture phase

s :

Solid phase

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the support by Key Scientific Research Project of Sichuan Provincial Education Department (15ZA0107), Doctor Foundation of Southwest University of Science and Technology (11zx7162).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Testing Technology for Manufacturing Process of Ministry of Education, School of Manufacturing Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, 621010, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China

    Liang-Chao Li & Bin Xu

Authors
  1. Liang-Chao Li
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  2. Bin Xu
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Correspondence to Liang-Chao Li.

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Li, LC., Xu, B. CFD simulation of floating particles suspension in a stirred tank. Chem. Pap. 71, 1377–1387 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-017-0128-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11696-017-0128-5

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