3D hydrodynamics involving multiple eccentric impellers in unbaffled cylindrical tank

In this paper, the numerical predictions of 3D hydrodynamics and power consumption in a vessel stirred by mul- tiple eccentrically located impellers are presented. The vessel is a fiat-bottomed cylindrical one equipped with six-curved bladed impellers. Aqueous solutions of xanthan gum are used, which have a shear thinning behavior with yield stress. The influence of several parameters on the mixing efficiency has been investigated, namely： the stirring rate, fluid theology, impeller number and impeller clearance from the tank bottom. Our predicted results are compared with other experimental data and a satisfactory agreement is found.

Effect of Agitator’s Types on the Hydrodynamic Flow in an Agitated Tank

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of agitator’s types on the turbulent flows in stirred tanks without and with baffles.The hydrodynamics behavior induced by four different agitator’s types:a Rushton turbine(RT),a circular blade turbine(CBT),a diverging triangular blade turbine(DTBT)and converging triangular blade turbine(CTBT)are numerically predicted by solving the Navier-Stokes equations and RNGκ–εturbulent model.The simulations are carried out using the Multi Reference Frame(MRF)approach.The numerical results showed good agreement with experiment.We find that the agitator CTBT gives an important profit on the power consumption per report/ratio the others and DTBT give a good reduction of the vortex size of the impeller angles.

Effect of the Inclination of Baffles on the Power Consumption and Fluid Flows in a Vessel Stirred by a Rushton Turbine

The role of baffles in mechanically stirred tanks is to promote the stability of power drawn by the impeller and to avoid the fluid swirling, thus enhancing mixing. The present paper numerically investigates the baffles effects in a vessel stirred by a Rushton turbine. The geometric factor of interest is the baffle inclination which is varying between 25°, 32.5°, 45°, 70° and 90° at different impeller rotational speeds. The impeller rotational direction has also been varied. The vortex size and power consumption were evaluated for each geometrical configuration. It was found that the best configuration is the baffle inclination by = 70° at a negative angular velocity.

Simulating the Turbulent Hydrothermal Behavior of Oil/MWCNT Nanofluid in a Solar Channel Heat Exchanger Equipped with Vortex Generators

Re-engineering the channel heat exchangers(CHEs)is the goal of many recent studies,due to their great importance in the scope of energy transport in various industrial and environmental fields.Changing the internal geometry of the CHEs by using extended surfaces,i.e.,VGs(vortex generators),is the most common technique to enhance the efficiency of heat exchangers.This work aims to develop a newdesign of solar collectors to improve the overall energy efficiency.The study presents a new channel design by introducing VGs.The FVM(finite volume method)was adopted as a numerical technique to solve the problem,with the use of Oil/MWCNT(oil/multi-walled carbon nano-tubes)nanofluid to raise the thermal conductivity of the flow field.The study is achieved for a Re number ranging from12×10^(3) to 27×10^(3),while the concentration(φ)of solid particles in the fluid(Oil)is set to 4%.The computational results showed that the hydrothermal characteristics depend strongly on the flow patterns with the presence of VGs within the CHE.Increasing the Oil/MWCNT rates with the presence of VGs generates negative turbulent velocities with high amounts,which promotes the good agitation of nanofluid particles,resulting in enhanced great transfer rates.

Effect of the shaft eccentricity and rotational direction on the mixing characteristics in cylindrical tank reactors

Strategy of the shaft eccentricity is introduced to enhance the mixing characteristics in a flat bottomed cylindrical vessel without baffles. The mixing is ensured by a six-curved blade impeller. Three solutions which are models of food emulsions are used as working fluids. These solutions have a shear thinning behavior modeled by the power-law. The effects of fluid properties, stirring rates, impeller rotational direction and impeller eccentricity on the 3D flow fields and power consumption are investigated. Three values of impeller eccentricity are considered, namely 0%, 24% and 48% of the vessel diameter. It is found that the opposite clockwise rotational direction reduces the power consumption, compared with the clockwise rotational direction. Also, the obtained results show that an impeller placed at an eccentric position between 24% and 48% of the vessel diameter and at the third of the vessel height may ensure the best mixing characteristics.

Effect of some parameters on the performance of anchor impellers for stirring shear-thinning fluids in a cylindrical vessel

The 3-D hydrodynamics of shear thinning fluids in a stirred tank with an anchor impeller were numerically simulated.By using a computational fluid dynamics code（CFX 13.0）,the obtained results give a good prediction of the hydrodynamics such as the velocity fields and cavern size.The multiple reference frames（MRF） technique was employed to model the rotation of the impellers.The rheology of the fluid was approximated using the Ostwald model.To validate the CFD model,some predicted results were compared with the experimental data and a satisfactory agreement was found.The effects of impeller speed,fluid rheology,and some design parameters on the flow pattern,cavern size and power consumption were explored.

3D numerical study and comparison of thermal-flow performance of various annular finne d-tub e designs

With the increase of heat transfer problems in marine vehicles and submerged power stations in oceans,the search for an efficient finned-tube heat exchanger has become particularly important.The purpose of the present investigation is to analyze and compare the thermal exchange and flow characteristics between five different fin designs,namely:a concentric circular finned-tube(CCFT),an eccentric circular finned-tube(ECFT),a perforated circular finned-tube(PCFT),a serrated circular finned-tube(SCFT),and a star-shaped finned-tube(S-SFT).The fin design and spacing impact on the thermal-flow performance of a heat exchanger was computed at Reynolds numbers varying from 4,300 to 15,000.From the numerical results,and when the fin spacing has been changed from 2 to 7 mm,an enhancement in the Colburn factor and a reduction in the friction factor and fin performances were observed for all cases under study.Three criteria were checked to select the most efficient fin design:the performance evaluation criterion P EC,the global performance criterion G PC,and the mass global performance criterion M G PC.Whatever the value of Reynolds number,the conventional CCFT provided the lowest performance evaluation criterion P EC,while the SCFT gave the highest amount of P EC.The most significant value of G PC was reached with the ECFT;however,G PC remained almost the same for CCFT,PCFT,SCFT,and S-SFT.In terms of the mass global performance criterion,the S-SFT provides the highest M Gpc as compared with the full fins of CCFT(41-73%higher)and ECFT(29-54%higher).Thus,the heat exchanger with S-SFT is recommended to be used in the cooling of offshore energy systems.