Search results for "STIRRED VESSELS"

Mixing dynamics in uncovered unbaffled stirred tanks

2014

Abstract The present work is aimed at providing experimental information on mixing rates in an unbaffled vessel under free surface vortexing conditions. The planar laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) technique was used for measuring the dispersion dynamics of a passive tracer over a vertical section of the vessel. In agreement with the quite scant literature information available for these systems, results confirm the existence of two well defined, partially segregated, zones that give rise to a double mixing dynamics behavior. A suitable mixing time definition is proposed and applied to a number of experimental runs with different stirrer geometries and agitation speeds. Results confirm that…

Free-surface shape in unbaffled stirred vessels: Experimental study via digital image analysis

2013

There is a growing interest in using unbaffled stirred tanks for addressing a number of processing needs such as low shear damage (sensitive biocultures), low attrition (solid–liquid applications), deep-cleaning/sterilization (pharmaceutical applications). The main feature of uncovered, unbaffled stirred tanks is highly swirling motion of the fluid that results in a deformation of the free liquid surface. At sufficiently high agitation speeds the resulting whirlpool reaches the impeller and gives rise to a gas–liquid dispersion, so leading to the formation of a dispersion without the use of gas-sparger; the so-called self-inducing operation of the vessel. In this work, digital image analysi…

Simplified dynamic pressure method for kLa measurement in aerated bioreactors

2010

Abstract A simplified version of the dynamic pressure method for measuring mass-transfer coefficients in gas–liquid systems is proposed. With this method oxygen concentration in the liquid phase is monitored after a sudden change of total pressure is applied to the system. With respect to the original technique introduced by Linek [14] the simplified version here proposed greatly simplifies the data treatment, yet resulting in good accuracy for most practical purposes. In practice, with the help of a simple mathematical model, it is found that the dynamic oxygen concentration response, when plotted as residual driving force versus time in a semi-log diagram, should be expected to finally se…

Gas-liquid-solid Operation of a High Aspect Ratio Self-ingesting Reactor

2012

Gas-liquid stirred vessels are widely employed to carry out chemical reactions involving a gas reagent and a liquid phase. The usual way for introducing the gas stream into the liquid phase is through suitable distributors placed below the impeller. An interesting alternative is that of using “self ingesting” vessels where the headspace gas phase is injected and dispersed into the vessel through suitable surface vortices. In this work the performance of a Long Draft Tube Self-ingesting Reactor (LDTSR) dealing with three-phase (gas-liquid-solid) systems, is investigated. Preliminary experimental results on the effectiveness of this contactor for particle suspension and gas-liquid mass transf…

Free vortex shape in Uncovered Unbaffled Stirred Tanks (UUST) agitated by Rushton turbines

2012

The main feature of unbaffled stirred tanks is the highly swirling liquid motion, which leads to the formation of a central vortex on the liquid free surface, when the vessel is operated without top-cover (Uncovered Unbaffled Stirred Tanks, UUST). In this work, original data on fluid dynamics characteristics of (UUST) agitated by a Rushton turbine are presented. In particular, digital image analysis is employed to accurately assess vortex shape and validate an original model for its description. The model describes vortex shape in the case of sub-critical systems (when vortex bottom is placed above the impeller plane) as well as in the case of super-critical systems (when vortex bottom fall…

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF SEDIMENT RESUSPENSION IN MECHANICALLY STIRRED VESSEL

2008

On the Reduction of Power Consumption in Vortexing Unbaffled Bioslurry Reactors

2020

Bioremediation of polluted soils via bioslurry reactors is an interesting option among those available nowadays, especially when recalcitrant pollutants are present. Vortexing unbaffled stirred tanks may be a valuable choice to this purpose as they were recently found to be more efficient than baffled vessels for solid suspension processes where mixing time is not a controlling factor. When operated at sufficiently high agitation speeds, the central vortex bottom reaches the impeller and air bubbles start to be distributed throughout the system, thus avoiding any sparger and related clogging issues. In the present work, a vortexing unbaffled stirred tank with solid loadings ranging from 2.5…

Residence Time Distribution of Solid Particles in a High-Aspect Ratio Multiple-Impeller Stirred Vessel

2003

Despite its importance, experimental information on the Residence Time Distribution (RTD) of solid particles in continuous-flow stirred vessels is still scant. In this work, experimental data on particle RTD in a high-aspect-ratio vessel stirred by three equally-spaced Rushton turbines, was obtained by means of a special technique named Twin System Approach (TSA). Quite surprisingly, results indicate that, among the various possibilities that could have been devised (e.g. 6, or 3, or 1 ideal tanks in series), the flow model closest to reality for the particle phase, at least in the experimental range here investigated, is that of a single perfectly stirred vessel.

CFD simulation of gas-liquid stirred vessels

2006

Computational Fluid Dynamics is an increasingly important tool for carrying out realistic simulations of process apparatuses. As a difference from single phase systems, for multipliase systcms the development of CFD models is still at its early stages. In the present work CFD simulations of gasliquid stirred tanks are reported. All bubbles are assumed to share the same size, and a simplified approach is adopted for the description of momentum exchanges between tile two phases. In particular ir is shown that the only parameter needed for modeling drag forces is bubble terminal velocity. Results show that in a quite wide range encompassing most practical applications, bubble size has a limite…

A NOVEL TECHNIQUE FOR MEASURING LOCAL BUBBLE SIZE DISTRIBUTION

2009

A novel experimental technique for measuring the local gas hold-up and the statistical distribution of local bubble size, is proposed. The technique is based on laser sheet illumination of the gas-liquid dispersion and synchronized camera, i.e. on equipment typically available in PIV set-ups. The liquid phase is made fluorescent by a suitable dye, and a band-pass optical filter is placed in front of the camera optics, in order to allow only fluoresced light to reach the camera CCD. In this way bubbles intercepted by the laser sheet are clearly identified thanks to the neat shade resulting in the images. This allows excluding from subsequent analysis all bubbles visible in the images but not…