Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Bottom Shape on the Flow Field and Particle Suspension in a DTB Crystallizer

• Main Authors: Hao Pan, Jun Li, Yang Jin, Bo Yang, Xing Li
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 2016-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Chemical Engineering
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/6862152

The influence of the bottom shape on the flow field distribution and particle suspension in a DTB crystallizer was investigated by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) coupled with Two-Fluid Model (Eulerian model). Volume fractions of three sections were monitored on time, and effect on particle suspension could be obtained by analyzing the variation tendency of volume fraction. The results showed that the protruding part of a W type bottom could make the eddies smaller, leading to the increase of velocity in the vortex. Modulating the detailed structure of the W type bottom to make the bottom surface conform to the streamlines can reduce the loss of the kinetic energy of the flow fluid and obtain a larger flow velocity, which made it possible for the particles in the bottom to reach a better suspension state. Suitable shape parameters were also obtained; the concave and protruding surface diameter are 0.32 and 0.373 times of the cylindrical shell diameter, respectively. It is helpful to provide a theoretical guidance for optimization of DTB crystallizer.