Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Impeller Design Parameters on the Performance of a Multiphase Baffle‐Stirred Reactor

The turbulent gas‐liquid flow field in an industrial 100‐m³ stirred tank was calculated by using computational fluid dynamics based on the finite‐volume method. Turbulent effects were modeled with the shear stress transport model, and gas‐liquid bubbly flow was modeled with the Eulerian‐Eulerian approach using the Grace correlation for the drag force interphase momentum transfer. The relative motion between the rotating impeller and the stationary baffled tank was considered by using a multiple frames of reference algorithm. The effects of Rushton and pitched‐blade impeller design parameters such as blade geometry, location, and pumping direction on the mixing performance were investigated. It was found that a combination of Rushton turbines with up‐pumping pitched‐blade turbines provides the best mixing performance in terms of gas holdup and interfacial area density. The approach outlined in this work is useful for performance optimization of biotechnology reactors, as typically found in fermentation processes.     

Gas recirculation rate and its influences on mass transfer in multiple impeller systems with various impeller combinations

Both the numerical and experimental approaches were used to study the effects of the gas recirculation and non‐uniform gas loading on the mass transfer rate for each impeller in a multiple impeller system. By combining the calculated gas velocity and local gas holdup, the gas recirculation rate around each impeller was estimated. The local mass transfer coefficients for systems equipped with various combinations of the Rushton turbine impeller (R) and pitched blade impeller (P) were determined by using the dynamic gassing out method. It is found that the Rushton turbine impeller has to be served as the lowest impeller in order to have a better gas dispersion and to give a higher overall K_La for a multiple impeller gas‐liquid contactor. The upper pitched blade impeller always enforces the circulating flow around the Rushton turbine impeller just beneath it and gives a higher overall average mass transfer rate. However, the system equipped with only the pitched blade impellers results in a much lower mass transfer rate than the other systems owing to the poor gas dispersion performance of the pitched blade impeller.     

Effects of the Stirred Tank's Design on Power Consumption and Mixing Time in Liquid Phase

The influence of the stirrer type and of the geometrical parameters of both tank and agitator (clearance of an impeller from tank bottom, impeller diameter, draft tube and geometry of the tank bottom) on power consumption and mixing time in liquid phase under turbulent regime conditions (Re > 10⁴) have been studied. Different types of agitators have been used, namely Rushton turbine, 45° pitched‐blade turbine, MIXEL TT and TTP propellers and 1‐stage or 2‐stage EKATO‐INTERMIG propellers. All these stirrers were tested with the same power consumption per unit mass of liquid. On the basis of measured power consumption per unit mass, which is required to achieve the same degree of mixing, the results obtained in the present work show that the TTP propeller is the most efficient in liquid phase. Recommendations on the optimum geometric configuration have been made for each type of stirrer.     

Power Consumption in Dual Impeller Gas‐Liquid Contactors: Impeller Spacing,Gas Flow Rate,and Viscosity Effects

The dependence of power consumption on impeller spacing, and also in relation to gas flow rate and viscosity, in unaerated and aerated gas‐liquid contactors agitated by dual Rushton‐ and by dual pitched blade turbines was comparatively studied. In tap water the two Rushton impellers acted independently for spacings greater than ΔH = 1.65d, while in glycerol solutions the impellers acted independently on reaching an impeller spacing equal to 1.20d; the corresponding values for the two pitched blade impellers were 1.50d for tap water, 1.07d for relatively high viscosities, and 0.53d for very high viscosity values. The Newton number Ne decreases with increasing viscosity for the dual Rushton turbine systems, while an increase of Ne can be observed with increasing viscosity for the corresponding pitched blade systems. For the dual Rushton turbines, gas flow number Q has no effect on Ne, at very high values of viscosity, while at low and relatively high viscosity values a small effect of Q on Ne can be detected. As observed for the dual Rushton turbine systems, Ne is also not affected by Q for the corresponding pitched blade systems at very high viscosity values. Flow number Q does not significantly affect the Newton number for the water‐glycerol solutions with a relatively high viscosity agitated by dual pitched blade turbines, while for the aerated water systems a decrease of Ne can be observed at relatively small gas flow numbers; high values of Q do not affect the Newton number.     

Scalar mixing measurements in a continuously operated stirred tank

An LIF (Laser induced flourescence) line scan system was used to obtain unobtrusive scalar concentration measurements in a continuously operated stirred tank agitated by a radial flow Rushton turbine and an axial flow 60°‐pitched blade impeller. A better blending process was generally achieved in the axial flow field, with macro‐ and micromixing in the radial flow field being most complete with fluid injected into the radial discharge jet, and in the axial flow field with fluid injected from above into the rotating impeller. Local concentration levels and fluctuations scaled with the feed pipe flow rate, and the degree of concentration uniformity throughout the tank scaled with the impeller speed and increased with the cube of the power input.     

The Use of Positron Emission Particle Tracking in the Study of Multiphase Stirred Tank Reactor Hydrodynamics

This paper describes the use of positron emission particle Tracking (PEPT) in the analysis of local particle and fluid velocities in solid‐liquid stirred tank reactors agitated with a Rushton turbine and an upward‐pumping pitched blade turbine. PEPT captures the full three‐dimensional characteristics of hydrodynamics and mixing in stirred vessels, allowing the analysis of the two‐phase flow fields. Furthermore, by comparing the liquid and particle velocities, the spatial and temporal variation of the relative particle‐liquid velocity can be estimated. Such information reveals considerable heterogeneity in the vessel and facilitates the evaluation of impeller design, particularly with the aim of minimizing mass transfer limitations.     

Characterisation of three different impellers using the LDV-technique

A characterisation of three commonly used impellers was made in this study by measuring local mean velocities and the fluctuations of these velocities with the LDV technique. The data was used to estimate volumetric flow, velocity fluctuations and turbulent intensity in the impeller region of the tank. The impellers investigated were a high flow impeller, a pitched blade turbine and a Rushton turbine. The cylindrical vessel used was made of Perspex, had a dished bottom (DIN 28013), was equipped with four baffles and had an inner diameter of 0.45 m. It was found that the bulk velocities could be scaled with the tip-speed of the impeller (ND). The flow rate at constant impeller speed increased in the order high flow impeller — Rushton turbine — pitched blade turbine. The corresponding order for the turbulence fluctuation is: high flow impeller — pitched blade turbine — Rushton turbine. The velocity profile of the flow out from the high flow impeller was furthermore, not as smooth as could be expected.     

LIQUID DISPERSION MECHANISMS IN AGITATED TANKS: PART II. STRAIGHT BLADE AND DISC STYLE TURBINES

The dispersion of oil in water in an agitated vessel was studied for two types of radial discharge impellers, straight blade and disc style turbines. Two different dispersion mechanisms, ligament stretching and turbulent fragmentation, were observed to occur in the vortex systems of the impeller discharge. Although these two dispersion mechanisms were similar to pitched blade turbine performance, differences in the velocity magnitudes and vortex interactions were observed with the radial flow impellers. The ligament stretching mechanism was observed between the vortex formation regime and the transition to the fragmentation regime. The turbulent fragmentation mechanism was observed only in highly turbulent flow.

Blade thickness was found to influence the ligament stretching mechanism. A thin blade on the straight blade turbine created higher vortex velocities and smaller drop sizes than a thick blade for the same tip speed and processing time. The consequences of this blade thickness effect could be significant when laboratory data are used to design large process equipment for liquid-liquid dispersion.     

LIQUID DISPERSION MECHANISMS IN AGITATED TANKS PART III. LOW VISCOSITY DISCRETE PHASE INTO HIGH VISCOSITY CONTINUOUS PHASE

The dispersion or a low viscosity liquid into a high viscosity liquid was investigated in an agitated tank using a pitched blade turbine. The trailing vortex system was found to be responsible for the formation of ligaments and sheets of the low viscosity liquid. Dispersion, though, was found to occur due to: 1) the break-up of ligaments and 2) small drop production from large drops in a recirculation flow; both dispersion mechanisms were a classical Rayleigh type break-up. The drop size produced in the recirculation flow from large drops was on the order of those observed in the turbulent fragmentation mechanism. The flow, though, was entirely laminar.     

LIQUID DISPERSION MECHANISMS IN AGITATED TANKS PART III. LOW VISCOSITY DISCRETE PHASE INTO HIGH VISCOSITY CONTINUOUS PHASE

The dispersion or a low viscosity liquid into a high viscosity liquid was investigated in an agitated tank using a pitched blade turbine. The trailing vortex system was found to be responsible for the formation of ligaments and sheets of the low viscosity liquid. Dispersion, though, was found to occur due to: 1) the break-up of ligaments and 2) small drop production from large drops in a recirculation flow; both dispersion mechanisms were a classical Rayleigh type break-up. The drop size produced in the recirculation flow from large drops was on the order of those observed in the turbulent fragmentation mechanism. The flow, though, was entirely laminar.     

Numerical simulation of a pitched‐blade turbine stirred tank with mirror fluid method

Mirror fluid method [Yang and Mao, Phys. Rev. 2005; E 71:036704] combined with local grid refinement is proposed to deal with the numerical simulation of turbulent flow in a pitched‐blade turbine stirred tank. By such a novel method, the domain occupied by the impeller is assigned suitable flow parameters explicitly by the mirror relation, so that the correct shear and normal forces on the fluid side of an interface segment is eventually guaranteed. Satisfactory agreement between our predictions and the reported experimental data is achieved both in single‐phase baffled or unbaffled stirred tanks and solid–liquid two‐phase systems. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering     

The effect of hydrodynamic parameters on the production of Pickering emulsions in a baffled stirred tank

Pickering emulsions are potential industrial scale alternatives to surfactant-based emulsions. The stability of Pickering emulsions depends on the physicochemical nature of the liquid–particle interface and the hydrodynamic conditions of the production process. This article investigates the effect of hydrodynamic conditions on the drop size of concentrated Pickering emulsions in baffled stirred tanks. Oil in water emulsions composed of silicon oil, water, and hydrophilic glass beads as stabilizing particles were produced. Two impellers were used at different sizes: Rushton turbine (RT) and pitched blade turbine. The effects of power per mass, Reynolds number, tip speed, and Weber number on the droplet sizes were studied. The energy dissipated around the impeller and the size of the impeller high shear zone were found to be critical to the emulsion droplet sizes. The breakup and droplet-particle contact mechanism of the RT was found to be more favorable for the production of the Pickering emulsions.     

多层桨搅拌槽内的液-液分散特性

在直径为0．476m的椭圆底圆柱形搅拌槽内,以水／航空煤油及水／环己烷为实验体系,研究了Rushton涡轮式搅拌桨(RT-6)、六半椭圆管涡轮式搅拌桨(HEDT)、折叶轴流式搅拌桨及翼形轴流式搅拌桨(CBY)的6种不同组合桨的液-液分散特性,用取样法测定了分散相体积分数的轴向分布及体系澄清时间。结果表明,组合桨中的底桨在液-液分散中发挥了主要作用。单位体积输入功率相同时,底桨为CBY的组合桨进行液-液分散后,液滴的平均滴径最小,体系澄清时间较长;底桨为HEDT的组合桨的分散效果次之;底桨为RT-6的组合桨因滴径分布较宽,虽然平均滴径最大,但澄清时间也较长。     

CFD Prediction of Flow and Homogenization in a Stirred Vessel: Part I Vessel with One and Two Impellers

A simulation of flow field and tracer homogenization was performed using the commercial CFD software FLUENT 6.1. The aim is to investigate the potential of CFD software to predict concentration distribution of added tracer in cylindrical vessels. The calculated results – dimensionless velocity profiles, power and pumping numbers, dimensionless concentration curves, and mixing times – were compared with experiments in stirred vessels. In Part I, the study was performed for vessels agitated by one or two impellers on a centric shaft. Two different impellers were used – a 6‐bladed 45° pitched blade turbine and a standard Rushton turbine. The standard k‐? turbulence model and multiple reference frames method were used for the simulations. The influence of the grid type was also investigated; three types of grid – a structured, unstructured and a special user‐defined grid – were studied.     

Impact of impeller type on methyl methacrylate emulsion polymerization in a batch reactor

The emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) was carried out in a lab‐scale reactor, which was equipped with a top‐entry agitator, four wall baffles, a U‐shaped cooling coil, and a temperature controller. Potassium per sulfate and sodium dodecyl sulfate as were used as the initiator and the surfactant, respectively. The experimental investigation demonstrated the impact of the impeller type (45° six pitched‐blade turbine and Rushton impeller), number of impellers (single and double impellers), and impeller speed (100–350 rpm) on the monomer conversion, polymer particles size, molecular weight, and glass transition temperature. The results revealed that the effect of the impeller speed on the characteristics of the polymer attained using the pitched‐blade turbine was more prominent than that for the Rushton turbine. It was also found that the impact of the impeller speed on the polymer characteristics was much more pronounced for the double pitched‐blade turbines rather than for the double Rushton turbines. However, more uniform size distribution was achieved with the Rushton turbine. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40496.     

Characterization of stirred vessel hydrodynamics by three dimensional trajectography

A simple method has been developed to track the three-dimensional motion of a small particle convected in a stirred tank for about 1 h. Different flow patterns induced by a Rushton or a pitched blade turbine have been studied. The results have been compared with known results obtained by conventional techniques. Several tools which have been proposed for this purpose give rise to new insights and interpretation of transport and mixing processes in stirred tanks for engineering applications.     

An LDA study of the turbulent flow field in a baffled vessel agitated by an axial,down-pumping hydrofoil impeller

The turbulent flow of water in a cylindrical, baffled vessel with an axial flow hydrofoil impeller, either a Chemineer HE3 (CHE3) or a Prochem Maxflo T (PMT), has been studied using a laser Doppler anemometer. Using ensemble averaging, the mean axial and radial flow and the associated fluctuating components were obtained for the whole of the vessel; plus similar data for the tangential component close to the impeller. Assuming axial symmetry, flow rates were calculated as were flow numbers and circulation flow numbers. Power numbers were also determined. All the data obtained were used to compare the circulation efficiency of the two hydrofoils plus a pitched blade and a Rushton turbine. This comparison showed that the CHE3 required a power input of about 2/3 of that for the PMT and about 1/3 of that for the pitched blade and Rushton turbine to obtain the same axial-radial circulation in the tankz.     

同心双轴复合式搅拌釜用于牛顿流体时的功耗及混合特性

在直径0.48 m的椭圆底搅拌槽内,液位与槽径比(H/T)为0.6,采用不同粘度的牛顿流体糖浆溶液,研究了分别以CBY, 45o四斜叶桨及Rushton涡轮桨作为快速分散桨、锚式桨作为慢速桨构成的同心双轴搅拌系统,在快、慢速轴同向和异向2种旋转方式操作时的功率特性和混合性能. 结果表明,分散桨对锚式桨的功率消耗影响较大. 两轴同向旋转时,分散桨会使锚式桨的功耗降低,转速比RN增加,降低幅度也增大,RN=14时,锚式桨功率可降至单独旋转时的约10%;异向旋转时锚式桨的功率随RN增加而增加,RN=14时,锚式桨功率可增至单独旋转时的2倍左右. 但锚式桨对分散桨的功率消耗影响很小,在±5%以内. 计算同心双轴复合搅拌系统的复合功率准数和复合雷诺数关系时考虑了RN的影响,使在实验条件下不同转向及RN的功率曲线较好吻合. 混合效果同向旋转优于异向旋转,在牛顿流体中,达到相同混合效果时,CBY桨的能量消耗仅为其他2个分散桨的20%~30%.     

A HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO CHURCHILL-SENSEI

The performance of pitched blade turbines in a gas-liquid dispersion has been studied. The two-phase hydrodynamics, gassed power consumption and mass transfer properties have been examined using six blade open turbines with blade angles from 30 to 60 degrees to the horizontal, mounted for down flow.

There are two distinct regimes by which gas leaving the sparger reaches the impeller: at low gas rates this is indirect via the recirculation loops, while at higher gas flow rates the flow is direct.

The transition between these regimes is reflected in power consumption and mass transfer characteristics and is related to the formation of large cavities behind the blades. It was also concluded that, with respect to mass transfer efficiency, a pitched blade turbine is at least as good as a Rushton turbine.     

The Two‐Phase Flow in an Axially Stirred Vessel Investigated Using Phase‐Doppler Anemometry

The phase‐Doppler technique has been used to characterize the two‐phase flow of liquid and particles in a stirred vessel agitated by a pitched blade turbine. The number of measurement locations used is considerably larger than in previous investigations and the behaviour of four different types of particles is studied. The fluid phase and particle phase flow is studied with particular emphasis on the relative velocities of the two phases. The largest slip velocities in the tank were found just beneath the impeller, and large slip velocities generally coincide with large velocity gradients. Generally, particles lag in relation to the fluid when the fluid flow is directed upwards, and vice versa, but exceptions to this are not unusual.