Coanda - 19 - CFD - Computational Fluid Dynamics - Distribution Vessels
In a previous post, the challenges associated with distribution vessels were identified and CFD was suggested as a useful tool to analyze and improve their performance.
These animations illustrate simulations of the mixing process in a pump box consisting of a cylindrical vessel with two inlet streams and two outlet streams; the inlets convey a Newtonian fluid at an inlet pipe Reynolds number of 105. Note that the inlet pipes terminate approximately three inlet pipe diameters above the fill level of the vessel. The free surface of the liquid, colored by velocity magnitude contours, is presented for two cases: (left) the original design with two streams and two outlets, and (right) the modified design where each inlet stream is split into two streams before it is introduced to the vessel, resulting in four streams but with the same outlet streams. For presentation purposes, the original design also shows the additional pipes proposed for the modified design. Both simulations exhibit some level of air entrainment into the vessel pool due to the plunging jets, with somewhat higher air entrainment in the modified vessel.
Contours of mass fraction on the central plane through the vessel are also shown in the figures. In the original design, there is a higher tendency for stream 1 (the pipe on the right) to exit through outlet 1 (the outlet on the right); the flow from inlet 1 accounts for approximately 60% of the flow in outlet 1. In the modified design, there is improved mixing between the streams within the vessel, such that each inlet stream contributes approximately 50% of the flow to each outlet.
#CFD #distributionvessels #simulations #pumpbox #cylindrical #Newtonianfluid