Transitional Mixing of Shear‐Thinning Fluids in Vessels with Multiple Impellers

The mixing efficiency of shear‐thinning fluids was evaluated using carboxymethylcellulose sodium salt (Na‐CMC) aqueous solutions of varying mass concentrations and three types of impellers (Rushton turbine (RT), six‐flat‐blade turbine (FBT), six‐pitched‐down‐blade turbine (PBT)) which were mounted on a common shaft in combinations of three, four, and five impellers. The mixing time proved to be dependent on the number of impellers as well as on the distance between. The Reynolds number has a significant influence on the mixing time for all studied systems. The results of power consumption allowed to choose the impeller system with the best efficiency.     

Investigation of crystal growth of borax in single and dual impeller batch cooling crystallizer

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to investigate and compare the influence of fluid flow in a single and dual impeller batch cooling crystallizer on crystal growth kinetics of borax decahydrate. Examinations were conducted in a crystallizer of 15?dm³ stirred by a single pitched blade turbine and straight blade turbine as well as their dual configurations. Kinetics parameters of crystal growth determined at applied mixing conditions were correlated with hydrodynamic conditions. In this paper, hydrodynamics was characterized by mixing time, which was experimentally determined, and by fluid flow patterns, which were simulated by the means of computational fluid dynamic (CFD). It was found that although the crystal growth in all systems investigated was controlled by the integration mechanism, the crystal growth rate constant changed significantly with impeller configuration. Regarding the characteristics of the final product, a dependence of the crystal size distribution on the fluid flow pattern was noticed while the number of impellers did not affect the product properties. On the other hand, mixing efficiency differed significantly with the type and number of impellers.     

IMPROVEMENTS IN GAS INDUCING IMPELLER DESIGN

Rate of gas induction, static pressure, mixing time and power consumption have been measured in 0.57 m i.d. vessel. Different types of impellers namely shrouded disc turbine, shrouded curved blade turbine and pitched blade turbine were used. The impeller diameter was varied from 0.15-0.25 m and the impeller speed was varied from 3 to 20 r/s.

The pitched blade turbine was found to give 30-60 per cent higher rates of gas induction as compared with the best design reported in the literature. The mixing time was found to be lower by a similar magnitude. Moreover in the case of pitched blade turbine it was found that the gas was getting induced radially as well as axially. This eliminates the necessity of the diffuser and hence reducing the complexities in the mechanical structure.     

一种新型搅拌桨多相混合性能研究

提出了一种新构型的搅拌桨一错位桨,并以空气-水-石英砂三相体系为研究对象,与传统的径流桨(Rushton桨)和轴流桨(斜叶桨)在功率消耗、混合时间、气体循环方面进行了比较.结果表明,错位桨相对于传统Rushton桨,功率消耗降低.适应气速范围广,轴向混合能力明显提升;在同等条件下与斜叶浆相比,气体分散能力强,混合时间少.这种新型桨能克服径向流叶轮在轴向混合方面能力的缺陷,有较好的潜在工业应用价值.     

CFD Investigation of the Mixing of Yield‐Pseudoplastic Fluids with Anchor Impellers

The study was carried out to simulate the 3D flow domain in the mixing of pseudoplastic fluids possessing yield stress with anchor impellers, using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package. The multiple reference frames (MRF) technique was employed to model the rotation of the impellers. The rheology of the fluid was approximated using the Herschel–Bulkley model. To validate the model, the CFD results for the power consumption were compared to the experimental data. After the flow fields were calculated, the simulations for tracer homogenization were performed to simulate the mixing time. The effects of impeller speed, fluid rheology, and impeller geometry on power consumption, mixing time, and flow pattern were explored. The optimum values of c/D (impeller clearance to tank diameter) and w/D (impeller blade width to tank diameter) ratios were determined on the basis of minimum mixing time.     

Influence of Impeller Diameter on Crystal Growth Kinetics of Borax in a Mixed Dual‐Impeller Batch‐Cooling Crystallizer

The influence of impeller diameter on crystal growth kinetics of borax decahydrate in a batch‐cooling crystallizer of non‐standard aspect ratio was evaluated. The dual‐impeller configuration consisted of a pitched‐blade turbine which was mounted below a straight‐blade turbine on a single shaft. Three different impeller‐to‐tank diameter ratios were investigated. In all experiments, mixing was conducted at just‐suspended impeller speed. To examine hydrodynamic conditions, mixing times were measured. The fluid flow pattern and velocity distribution were determined by computational fluid dynamics. Results showed that the smallest but also more regularly shaped crystals were produced in a system with standard diameter impellers. Product yield and power consumption were highest in this case.     

EFFECT OF IMPELLER DESIGN ON LIQUID PHASE MIXING IN MECHANICALLY AGITATED REACTORS

Liquid phase mixing time (θ_mix) was measured in mechanically agitated contactors of internal diameter 0.57 m, 1.0 m and 1.5 m. Tap water was used as the liquid phase. The impeller speed was varied in the range of 0.4-9.0 r/s. Three types of impellers, namely disc turbine (DT), pitched blade downflow turbine (PTD) and pitched-blade upflow turbine (PTU) were employed. The ratio of impeller diameter to vessel diameter (D/T) and the ratio of impeller blade width to impeller diameter (W/D) were varied over a wide range. The effects of impeller clearance from the tank bottom (C), the blade angle (φ), the number of blades (n_b), the blade thickness (k) and the total liquid height (H/T) were studied in detail. Mixing time was measured using the conductivity method.

Mixing time was found to have a strong dependance on the flow pattern generated by the impeller. Mixing time was found to decrease by decreasing the impeller clearance in the case of DT and PTU. However in the case of PTD it increases with a decrease in the impeller clearance. Similar trend of the effect of impeller clearance on θ_mix, was observed for all the other PTD impellers with different diameter, number of blades and blade angle (except 60^° and 90^°). All the impeller designs were compared on the basis of power consumption and on this basis optimum design recommendations have been made. For PTD impellers, a correlation has been developed for the dimensionless mixing time.     

Investigation of impeller modification and eccentricity for non-Newtonian fluid mixing in stirred vessels

A shear thinning fluid (1% carboxymethyl cellulose) was used to investigate mixing under laminar flow conditions in an unbaffled vessel. The effects of impeller modification in addition to eccentricity were studied. Quantitative measurements such as percentage of uncovered area and coefficient of variance (CoV) of a tracer solution distributed inside the vessel were obtained using planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) method. Increased eccentricity was found to be more effective than increasing rpm alone in reducing isolated mixing regions size (determined by the percentage of uncovered area). The dual-flow pitched blade turbine (DF-PBT), which was the modified version of a standard pitched blade turbine (PBT), was designed to provide both upward and downward flow at the same time to induce more chaotic flow. Though numerical analysis showed this type of flow generated, DF-PBT did not return lower values for the percentage of uncovered area and CoV than PBT did. Power consumption data were also compared between the two impeller types and eccentric locations. Further analyses focusing on the interactions between the impeller blades and fluid rheology is needed to improve laminar mixing in stirred vessels by impeller modification.     

Flow Patterns in Rheologically Evolving Model Fluids Produced by Hybrid Dual Mixing Systems

The flow patterns produced by two dual mixing systems composed of independently driven impellers were studied. The dual impellers included a turbine rotating at high speed (Rushton or Smith) and a slowly rotating helical ribbon agitator (HR). Visualizations and power input were used to evaluate mixing performance. The influence of the rotational speed ratio on the flow patterns was evaluated. For high shear‐thinning fluids, N_T/N_HR modifies the flow patterns considerably. Three typical behaviors were found with shear thinning fluids: segregation of two principal flow patterns (N_T/N_HR < 10), turbine dominance (N_T/N_HR > 10), and a well‐distributed flow pattern throughout the tank (N_T/N_HR = 10). For low‐viscosity fluids, the motionless HR reduced the vortex length and the T‐HR systems eliminated vortex when the impellers rotated in opposite directions at N_T/N_HR = 10. Finally, a relationship between the dimensionless vortex length and the Froude number is proposed for individual turbines as well as for the turbine‐motionless HR systems.     

逆流桨强化搅拌槽内流体混沌混合及流场结构失稳研究

在传统三斜叶桨的基础上,结合逆流桨结构,提出三斜叶逆流桨,以破坏或者消除搅拌槽内稳定的对称性流场结构,提高流体传递效率及混沌混合程度。结合实验和模拟两种方法,主要研究了上推式三斜叶桨(PBTU)、外推内压式三斜叶逆流桨(PBTC-U)、外压内推式三斜叶逆流桨(PBTC-D)三种桨叶体系以及不同外层桨叶长度的PBTC-U桨体系内搅拌功耗、混合时间、混沌特性参数、流场结构以及流体速度分布。实验结果表明,N=130 r/min时,PBTC-U桨相对于PBTU桨和PBTC-D桨,体系混合时间分别从22.0、37.5 s缩短到16.5 s,功耗分别降低了5.6%和12.8%,LLE值分别提高了13.69%和37.01%。在确定PBTC-U桨适宜外层桨叶长度的研究中发现当外层桨叶长度D₂=0.375D时,搅拌功耗最低且混合时间最短。PBTC-U型逆流桨通过内外层桨叶的逆流作用,强化体系内流体的随机运动,使得流场的不稳定性得到增强,对称性被破坏,进而流场结构失稳,流体混合效率得到提高。另外,PBTC-U桨可以增强流体轴、径向速度分布的波动性,有利于提高体系的混合效率。     

不同组合桨搅拌槽内非牛顿流体的微观混合特性

在直径0.282 m的搅拌槽内,以羟乙基纤维素(HEC)水溶液为工作体系,以磷酸盐?碘化物?碘酸盐平行竞争反应为模型反应,比较了非牛顿流体体系中向心桨、Rushton桨、三斜叶桨的功率准数,考察了加料时间、桨型及双层桨组合对微观混合效果的影响。结果表明,随功率增大,功率准数基本不变,Rushton桨功率准数最大,是向心桨的两倍、斜叶桨的四倍。随加料时间增大,离集指数先减小后不变。在实验考察范围内,单位体积功耗相等的情况下,单层桨微观混合效果的顺序为Rushton桨?向心桨?斜叶桨,双层桨中高剪切的Rushton桨与强循环的斜叶桨组合的微观混合效率最高。     

新型搪玻璃搅拌桨搅拌特性数值模拟及实验研究

采用CFD方法模拟了具有相同桨径、不同桨叶折角和叶宽结构的6种新型搪玻璃搅拌桨的搅拌特性。考察了挡板、桨叶离底高度对釜内流场的影响,基于此分析了桨叶折角、叶宽对速度分布的影响。对模拟得到的搅拌功率和混合时间进行了实验验证,并与传统搪玻璃桨式搅拌器进行比较。结果表明：①新型桨叶在加挡板且桨叶离底高度为450 mm时,搅拌效果最佳;②随桨叶折角、叶宽的增大,桨叶区轴向、径向和切向速度均呈增大趋势,当桨叶折角为45°、叶宽为95 mm时,釜内混合效果最好;③随转速增大,搅拌功率呈增大趋势,混合时间呈减小趋势,新型桨明显比传统桨混合性能好,桨叶折角为30°、叶宽95 mm时功率消耗最低,桨叶折角为35°、叶宽95 mm时混合时间最短。     

CFD simulation of impeller shape effect on quality of mixing in two-phase gas–liquid agitated vessel

Mixing efficiency in two-phase gas–liquid agitated vessel is one of the important challenges in the industrial processes. Computational fluid dynamics technique (CFD) was used to investigate the effect of four different pitched blade impellers, including 15°, 30°, 45° and 60°, on the mixing quality of gas–liquid agitated vessel. The multiphase flow behavior was modeled by Eulerian–Eulerian multiphase approach, and RNG k − ε was used to model the turbulence. The CFD results showed that a strong global vortex plays the main role on the mixing quality of the gas phase in the vessel. Based on the standard deviation criterion, it was observed that the axial distribution of the gas phase in the 30° impeller is about 55% better than the others. In addition, the results showed that the 30° impeller has a uniform radial distribution over the other impellers and the maximum gas phase holdup in the vessel. Investigation of the power consumption of the impellers showed that the 30° impeller has the highest power consumption among the other pitched blade impellers. Also, examine the effect of same power condition for pitched blade impellers showed that the 30° impeller has the best mixing quality in this condition.     

Power Consumption in Gas‐Liquid Contactors Agitated by Double‐Stage Rushton Turbines

The dependence of power consumption on impeller spacing in unaerated and aerated gas‐liquid contactors agitated by dual Rushton turbine systems was studied, and the gas flow rate and viscosity effects were measured in relation to these parameters. The experiments were carried out in a 0.19 m i.d. vessel stirred by two Rushton turbines with a diameter d = 0.10 m; with blade length and blade height 0.25 d and 0.2 d, respectively. In tap water the impellers acted independently for spacings greater than 1.65 d, while in glycerol solutions the two impellers already acted independently at an impeller spacing equal to 1.2 d. In aerated systems, a notable increase in the power consumption with increasing impeller spacing could be detected for small gas flow rates and low viscosities, while a decrease in the Newton number with increasing Froude number could be observed at constant impeller spacing. The Newton number was not affected by flow number at high viscosity values.     

LIQUID PHASE MIXING IN MECHANICALLY AGITATED VESSELS

Liquid phase mixing and power consumption have been studied in 0.3, 0.57, 1.0 and 1.5 m i.d. mechanically agitated contactors. Tap water was used as liquid phase. The impeller speed was varied in the range 2-13.33 r/s. Three types of impellers namely disc turbine (DT), pitched turbine downflow (PTD) and pitched turbine upflow (PTU) were employed. The impeller diameter to vessel diameter ratio was varied in the range of 0.25 to 0.58. The effect of impeller clearance from tank bottom was also studied. Mixing time was measured using the transient conductivity measurement.

The PTD impeller was found to be the most energy efficient for mixing in liquid phase alone. Further, PTD (T/3) was found to be most energy efficient as compared with other impeller diameters. The effect of clearance was found to be design dependent and it was found to be diameter dependent in the case of pitched turbines.

Flow patterns of different impellers have been studied by visual observations (using guide particles). These observations were supported by the measurements using Laser Doppler Velocimetry. A model has been developed for the prediction of mixing time. In the case of all the three impeller designs, a fairly good agreement was found between the predicted and experimental values of mixing time.     

CFD simulation of flow and mixing characteristics in a stirred tank agitated by improved disc turbines

To reduce the power consumption and improve the mixing performance in stirred tanks, two improved disc turbines namely swept-back parabolic disc turbine (SPDT) and staggered fan-shaped parabolic disc turbine (SFPDT) are developed. After validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model with experimental results, CFD simulations are carried out to study the flow pattern, mean velocity, power consumption, pumping capacity and mixing efficiency of the improved and traditional impellers in a dished-bottom tank under turbulent flow conditions. The results indicate that compared with the commonly used parabolic disc turbine (PDT), the power number of proposed SPDT and SFPDT impellers is reduced by 43% and 12%, and the pumping efficiency is increased by 68% and 13%, respectively. Furthermore, under the same power consumption (0-700 W·m^-3), the mixing performance of both SPDT and SFPDT is also superior to that of Rushton turbine and PDT.     

双叶片组合式搅拌器搅拌特性的实验研究

在水和羧甲基纤维素(CMC)水溶液中,对双叶片组合式搅拌器及国内4种搪玻璃搅拌器进行了实验研究,考察了桨形、转速及物料对各种搅拌器搅拌功率和混合时间的影响。实验表明,综合考虑搅拌功率和混合时间,双叶片组合式搅拌器在这两种介质中的混合效率最高。     

New Turbine Impellers for Viscous Mixing

New open impellers developed for viscous mixing applications were characterized experimentally in terms of power consumption and mixing times, and their performance was compared to that of standard turbines. Their design is based on a nonsymmetry of revolution principle contrary to standard impellers. A color‐discoloration technique based on a fast acid‐base indicator reaction and image analysis were used to evaluate the mixing efficiency. Experimental results show that the segregated, torus‐shaped regions, always observed above and below standard turbine impellers, can be significantly reduced using the new turbine designs generating a well‐balanced axial‐radial flow field.     

The effect of internal impellers on mixing in an electrochemical reactor with rotating rings electrodes

An electrochemical reactor with rotating electrodes has been used to to remove pollutants from aqueous media. Poor mixing and passivation of electrodes surface have been identified as the major drawbacks for the operation of this type of reactors because they adversely affect the critical reactions that take place in the liquid bulk. In this work, three different reactor configurations are proposed and their performance on reactor mixing time and process costs is evaluated. CFD simulations, based on previously validated models, were used to observe mixing inside the electrochemical reactors. Three different arrays were used for the rotating rings electrodes: (a) without impellers, (b) with four internal vertical fins and (c) with a pitched blade central impeller. Power consumption, torque, and parameters such as turbulent intensity, mixing time, among others, were evaluated for all configurations. The reactor with no impellers showed two separated zones of recirculation, reducing the reactor mixing and performance. The reactor with pitched blade impeller, showed no significant improvement due to its low central impeller pumping capacity at low rotational speeds (150 rpm). The array with 4 vertical fins operated at 130 rpm presented the highest flow/power ratio, and the lowest mixing time.     

Effect of scale on the draw down of floating solids

In this study, the draw down of floating solids from the liquid surface has been investigated using vessels of 0.61 and 2.67 m diameter. The importance of impeller type (mixed flow pitched blade turbine (PBT) and the narrow blade hydrofoil LE-20), pumping mode and position and the effect of varying liquid height have also been studied. Impeller speed and power consumption at which no solids remain at the surface for more than 2-4 s are determined by visual observations.Results from different scales are discussed in relation to the way in which solids are drawn down from the liquid surface. It has been shown that over a wide range of conditions the power required for drawing down solids can be reduced by operating in the upward rather than downward pumping mode and using an axial flow narrow blade hydrofoil rather than a mixed flow pitched blade turbine. Different scale up criteria, power per unit volume, tip speed and Froude number, are discussed for these systems. For scale up, specific power input is shown to be the most appropriate criterion for upward pumping impellers.