Search results for "IMPIANTI"

Mechanical-fluid dynamics coupled model for profiled Ion Exchange Membranes design

2018

In this work, we developed an advanced model useful for the design of profiled IEMs, based on the coupled simulation of local mechanical deformations and of fluid dynamics and associated mass transport phenomena within deformed channels

Integrated modelling of membrane deformation, fluid dynamics and mass transfer in electromembrane processes

In recent years, water and energy supply issues have drawn the attention of the scientific community to electromembrane processes. Electrodialysis (ED) and Reverse Electrodialysis (RED) are two of the most attractive electromembrane technologies for water desalination and electric energy production from salinity gradients, respectively. In order to gain an important place in the industrial market, technological challenges on various aspects are involved in the optimization of these processes. In this context, profiled membranes exhibit interesting performance. However, the mechanical behavior of the membranes and its interaction with fluid dynamics has been poorly investigated so far. In me…

Comparison of different hollow fibre haemodialysis module configurations by a CFD multiscale approach

2021

Objectives The study aims to predict 3-D flow and solute concentrations fields both for blood and dialysate and overall performance parameters (such as dialysate pressure drop and clearance) for different hollow-fibre haemodialysis modules. Methods A multiscale approach was used. At small (unit cell)-scale, dialysate flow and mass transfer around straight cylindrical fibres arranged in regular lattices were simulated. At module-scale, hydraulic permeabilities and mass transfer coefficients derived from small-scale simulations were used to define two different porous media representative of blood and dialysate, sharing the same volume and exchanging solute. Simulations involved different mod…

CFD Simulation of Mass Transfer Phenomena in Spacer Filled Channels for Reverse Electrodialysis Applications

2013

Salinity Gradient Power via Reverse Electrodialysis is a topic of primary importance nowadays. It allows getting energy from the “controlled” mixing of solutions at different salt concentration. The performance of this technology depends on many factors such as: components properties (i.e. membranes, spacers, electrodes), stack geometry, operating conditions and feeds features. Concentration polarization phenomena may significantly affect the actual membrane potential, thus reducing the gross power produced. On the other hand, C-polarization phenomena may significantly be reduced by suitably choosing the hydrodynamic regime within the stack. Such a choice may in turn significantly require h…

Dense Solid-Liquid Suspensions in Top-Covered Unbaffled Stirred Vessels

2011

In the present work solids suspension is investigated in an unbaffled tank stirred by a Rushton turbine and provided with a top-cover in order to avoid the formation of the well known central vortex. The data obtained are compared with those pertaining baffled stirred tanks via comparison with the well known Zwietering’s correlation. The dependence of Njs on particle concentration is found to be similar to that well established for baffled vessels, while, as a difference from the latter, Njs is found to decrease when liquid viscosity increases. Results also show that Njs is substantially independent of particle size, a feature that may advice the adoption of unbaffled tanks when large heavy…

CFD Simulation of Solid Liquid Suspensions in Baffled Stirred Vessels Below Complete Suspension Speed

2011

Suspension of solid particles into liquids within stirred vessels is a complex phenomenon encountered in several industrial applications. Most researchers have focused their attention on the assessment of the minimum impeller speed (Njs) able to guarantee the suspension of all particles. Actually, in a number of industrial cases an impeller speed N lower than Njs is chosen as typical operating condition (Oldshue, 1983) as the resulting energy savings well counterbalance the loss of active interfacial area. Therefore, the assessment of the amount of unsuspended particles at any given impeller speed represents the key to quantify the economical advantage/disadvantage of adopting an impeller s…

Measurements of Njs and Power Requirements in Unbaffled Bioslurry Reactors

2012

The remediation of urban/industrial polluted lands is a topic of crucial importance nowadays. Bioremediation techniques are widely employed to remove organic pollutants from contaminated soils because of their simplicity and cheapness. The bioslurry reactors mechanically agitated by stirrers represent one of the most promising bioremediation techniques. In the present work an unbaffled stirred vessel filled with solids and water is experimentally investigated from a fluid dynamic point of view. Air presence within the tank is guaranteed by the central vortex formation (typical occurrence concerning stirred vessels unprovided with baffles) instead of an intrinsically more expensive insufflat…

Power requirements for complete suspension and aeration in an unbaffled bioslurry reactor

2016

Remediation of contaminated soils is spreading as a matter of crucial importance nowadays. Bioremediation via bioslurry reactors of sites polluted by recalcitrant pollutants has been proved to be a valuable option, although optimization is needed to reduce process costs. Free-surface unbaffled stirred tanks (with central air vortex) have been recently proposed as a promising alternative to the more common systems provided with baffles. In a bioslurry reactor solid-liquid interfacial area, oxygen supply, solid loading per reactor unit volume should be maximized, and, at the same time, operation costs have to be kept low. In this regard, the minimum impeller speeds for complete suspension Njs…

CFD prediction of solid particle distribution in baffled stirred vessels under partial to complete suspension conditions

2013

Solid-liquid mixing within tanks agitated by stirrers can be easily encountered in many industrial processes. It is common to find an industrial tank operating at an impeller speed N lower than the minimum agitation speed for the suspension of solid particles: under such conditions the distribution of solid-particles is very far from being homogeneous and very significant concentration gradients exist. The present work evaluates the capability of a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model to reliably predict the particle distribution throughout the tank under either partial or complete suspension conditions. A flat bottomed baffled tank stirred by a Rushton turbine was investigated. Both tr…

Comparison of Agitators Performance for Particle Suspension in Top-Covered Unbaffled Vessels

2015

Power savings is a problem of crucial importance nowadays. In process industry, suspension of solid particles into liquids is usually obtained by employing stirred tanks, which often are very power demanding. Notwithstanding tanks provided with baffles are traditionally adopted for this task, recent studies have shown that power reductions can be obtained in top-covered unbaffled vessels. In the present work experiments were carried out in a top-covered unbaffled vessel with a diameter T=0.19m and filled with distilled water and silica particles. Two different turbines were tested: a standard six-bladed Rushton Turbine (RT) and a 45° four bladed Pitched Blade Turbine (PBT). For the case of …