CFD research on the influence of geometry characteristic on flow pattern and the transition mechanism in Rushton turbine stirred vessels

Abstract

Abstract In this paper, the transient MRF approach coupled with the standard k-ε and SST k-ω turbulence models was employed to study the effect of bottom shape, impeller diameter (DJ) and bottom height (H2) on critical impeller off-bottom clearance (C). It was found the bottom shape and bottom height (H2) have obvious influence on the flow pattern transition from double-loop to single-loop of RT impeller. The flow pattern transition mechanism was inferred to relate to the relationship between the space required by the lower circulation zone and the actual space. The boundary conditions of critical C were further concluded to help distinguish the flow pattern and receive the expected one in the stirred vessel design.