Simulation Study of Hydrodynamic Conditions in Reaction Cell for Cement Biomineralization Using Factorial Design and Computational Fluid Dynamics: Prospects for Increased Useful Life of Concrete Structures and Energetic/Environmental Benefits

Bruno Augusto Cabral Roque, Pedro Pinto Ferreira Brasileiro, Yana Batista Brandão, Hilario Jorge Bezerra de Lima Filho, Attilio Converti, Bahar Aliakbarian (), Mohand Benachour and Leonie Asfora Sarubbo
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Bruno Augusto Cabral Roque: Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. dos Economistas, s/n, Recife CEP 50740-590, Brazil
Pedro Pinto Ferreira Brasileiro: Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. dos Economistas, s/n, Recife CEP 50740-590, Brazil
Yana Batista Brandão: Instituto Avançado de Tecnologia e Inovação, Rua Potyra, 31, Recife CEP 50751-310, Brazil
Hilario Jorge Bezerra de Lima Filho: Escola Icam Tech, Universidade Católica de Pernambuco, Rua do Príncipe, 526, Recife CEP 50050-900, Brazil
Attilio Converti: Department of Civil, Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Genoa (UNIGE), Pole of Chemical Engineering, via Opera Pia 15, 16145 Genoa, Italy
Bahar Aliakbarian: Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, The Axia Institute, Michigan State University, 1910 West St. Andrews Rd, Midland, MI 48640, USA
Mohand Benachour: Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. dos Economistas, s/n, Recife CEP 50740-590, Brazil
Leonie Asfora Sarubbo: Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Av. dos Economistas, s/n, Recife CEP 50740-590, Brazil

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 8, 1-27

Abstract: Studies have reported the incorporation of microorganisms into cement to promote the formation of calcium carbonate in cracks of concrete, a process known as biomineralization. The paper aims to improve the process of the cascade system for biomineralization in cement by identifying the best hydrodynamic conditions in a reaction cell in order to increase the useful life of concrete structures and, therefore, bring energy and environmental benefits. Two central composite rotatable designs were used to establish the positioning of the air inlet and outlet in the lateral or upper region of the geometry of the reaction cell. The geometries of the reaction cell were constructed in SOLIDWORKS ® , and computational fluid dynamics was performed using the Flow Simulation tool of the same software. The results were submitted to statistical analysis. The best combination of meshes for the simulation was global mesh 4 and local mesh 5. The statistical analysis applied to gas velocity and pressure revealed that air flow rate was the factor with the greatest sensitivity, with R 2 values up to 99.9%. The geometry with the air outlet and inlet in the lateral region was considered to be the best option.

Keywords: aeration; biomineralization; concrete; computational fluid dynamics; energetic benefits; planning of experiments (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: 2023
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