Research on the Characteristics of the Solid–Liquid Two-Phase Flow Field of a Submersible Mixer Based on CFD-DEM

Fei Tian, Erfeng Zhang (), Chen Yang, Weidong Shi and Yonghua Chen
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Fei Tian: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Erfeng Zhang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Chen Yang: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Weidong Shi: School of Mechanical Engineering, Nantong University, Nantong 226019, China
Yonghua Chen: Yatai Pump & Valve Co., Ltd., Taixing 225400, China

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 16, 1-20

Abstract: Submersible mixers are widely used in the sewage treatment process in various fields, such as agriculture and industry. They are mainly responsible for pushing flow and mixing activated sludge particles in a pool. Based on the CFD-DEM coupling method under the Euler–Lagrange framework, the solid–liquid two-phase flow of a submersible mixer was simulated in this paper, and the motion characteristics and distribution laws of particles in the pool were studied in axial, horizontal, and lateral directions, respectively. An evaluation method of distribution uniformity was proposed to analyze the velocity distribution of the flow field, the velocity distribution of particles, and the mixing uniformity of particles. The results show that the movement process of activated sludge particles in the pool can be roughly divided into three stages: the horizontal development stage, absorption–injection stage, and reflux-mixing stage, in which the reflux-mixing stage is the main stage for the uniform distribution of particles in the whole flow field. Particle accumulation occurs mainly in the dead zones of the flow field. Distribution of particles in the axial direction has the most homogeneous extent. Vortices can be generated near pool walls, causing accumulation of particles. This method can be a good guide for engineering practice.

Keywords: submersible mixer; CFD-DEM; two-phase; distribution uniformity method (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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