Test of flow field on the annular meridian plane in a tubular membrane separator with rotary tangential flow

Enhancement of membrane microfiltration by rotary tangential flow is a new technique, which is based on the hydrocyclone mechanism. It improved the structure of the general membrane separator and the form of the liquid suspension flowing into the separator, so as to increase membrane fluxes and decrease membrane fouling. In our research, a tubular membrane separator with rotary tangential flow was designed for the first time. The flow field characteristics of polypropylene tubular membrane microfiltration in this tubular separator were studied systematically by means of the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) test. Streamlines and velocity distributions of the meridian plane of the separator under different operating parameters were obtained. The velocity distribution characteristics of rotary circular tangential flow were analyzed quantitatively with the following conclusions being obtained:

• (1) In the non‐vortex area, no matter how the operating parameters (flux, entry pressure) change, the velocity near the rotary tangential flow entrance is higher than the velocity far from the entrance at the same radial coordinates. In the vortex area, generally the flow velocity of the inner vortex is lower than that of the outer vortex. At the vortex center, the velocity is the lowest, the radial velocity being generally equal to zero. In the vortex zone, the radial velocity is less than the axial velocity.
• (2) Under test conditions, the radial velocity and the axial velocity of the vortexes' borders are 1–2 times the average axial velocity in the annular gap of the membrane module. The maximum radial velocity and axial velocity of Taylor vortexes are 2–5 times the average axial velocity in the annular gap of the membrane module.
• (3) In the vortexes that formed on the meridian plane, it was found that mass transfer occurred between the inner and outer parts of the fluid. Much fluid moved from the outer vortexes into the inner ones, which was able to prevent particles blocking the membrane tube.

Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

旋风分离器内旋进涡核的PIV显示

The precessing vortex core (PVC) in a cyclone separator plays an important role in the separation performance and in further understanding of the general law of periodic unsteady flow therein. In this paper, the unsteady flow field is investigated with particle image velocimetry (PIV), and the instantaneous velocity, vorticity,tangential velocity, and radial velocity are acquired by analyzing the images of instantaneous flow. It is for the first time reported that there is a centrifugal flow region close to the dust discharge zone and its maximum value is higher than the mean radial velocity. This discovery is very important for understanding the principle of separation of particles in the area of dust discharge. Determination of the frequency and amplitude of PVC was conducted in the region where the phenomenon of PVC is remarkable. Results agree well with those obtained by hot wire anemometry. The observations of the center of “cortex core and the bimodal distribution of the amplitude of the PVC indicate the vortex core precesses around the geometric axis of the cvclone in its own way.     

单、双进口对旋风分离器升气管外壁结焦影响的数模分析

利用数值模拟技术,对比考察了旋风分离器采用轴对称双进口和单边切向进口时升气管外壁附近及环形空间的静压和切向速度分布,分析比较这两种进口形式下升气管外切向剪切力和径向压力梯度力对升气管外壁结焦物沉积与积累的影响。结果表明,双入口分离器升气管近壁环向顺、逆压梯度区范围均小于单进口分离器,切向速度沿环向变化不明显,近壁低速易沉积区范围小,且不容易出现油气及催化剂的回流和滞留区,能有效抑制结焦物的沉积;双进口分离器升气管近壁区的平均剪切力比单进口分离器大30%以上,而平均径向压力梯度力比单进口分离器约小17%,能一定程度上削减结焦层厚度,抑制结焦物积累的能力强于单进口。轴对称双进口旋风分离器升气管外壁结焦的倾向将明显小于单切向进口的旋风分离器。     

Modeling the gas flow in a cyclone separator at different temperature and pressure

The gas flow field in a cyclone separator, operated within a temperature range of 293 K–1373 K and a pressure range of 0.1–6.5 MPa, has been simulated using a modified Reynolds-stress model (RSM) on commercial software platform FLUENT 6.1. The computational results show that the temperature and pressure significantly influence the gas velocity vectors, especially on their tangential component, in the cyclone. The tangential velocity decreases with an increase in temperature and increases with an increase in pressure. This tendency of the decrease or increase, however, reduces gradually when the temperature is above 1000 K or the pressure goes beyond 1.0 MPa. The temperature and pressure have a relatively weak influence on the axial velocity profiles. The outer downward flow rate increases with a temperature increase, whereas it decreases with a pressure increase. The centripetal radial velocity is strong in the region of 0–0.25D below the vortex finder entrance, which is named as a short-cut flow zone in this study. Based on the simulation results, a set of correlations was developed to calculate the combined effects of temperature and pressure on the tangential velocity, the downward flow rate in the cyclone and the centripetal radial velocity in the short-cut flow region underneath the vortex finder.     

不同流量条件下导叶式旋流器内部流动的数值模拟

应用Fluent软件和雷诺应力模型(RSM)对导叶式旋流器内部三维强旋湍流流动进行了数值模拟,考察了不同入口流量对旋流器内速度场的影响。研究结果表明,旋流器内径向速度远小于切向速度和轴向速度,锥段的切向速度明显小于柱段的切向速度;随着流量的增加,各向速度均增加,最大切向速度的分布直径并不随流量的变化而改变,且最大切向速度位于准自由涡与准强制涡的分界处。通过计算还发现,在旋流器圆柱段存在循环流和短路流,锥段的上行区域均小于柱段,而且截面越靠底流口,上行区域越小。     

Theoretical and experimental studies of confined vortex flow

A study of the air flow characteristics is reported for a vortex chamber 122 cm in diameter consisting of an upper cylindrical section 61 cm high and of a lower conical section 108 cm high. Measurements were made with a five-channel pressure probe of the radial profiles of tangential and axial velocities, with varying inlet air velocity and axial distance from the top of the chamber. Measurements of the static pressure profiles were made simultaneously. Finally, the angle of flow of the air entering through the single tangential inlet could be adjusted, and its effects on the flow recorded. From these results and from a theoretical analysis, generalized expressions for the tangential velocity profiles were obtained for the two regions of flow, forced-vortex and quasi-free vortex, which prevail in a confined vortex chamber, as a function of the entrance air velocity and of the radius at the point considered only. The angle of entering air was found to have no effect on the tangential velocity and only a minor effect on the static pressure distribution. The outlet diameter of the chamber was found to have a large effect on the profile of the axial velocities, reflecting the influence of the chamber static pressure on the latter.     

Theoretical and experimental studies of confined vortex flow

A study of the air flow characteristics is reported for a vortex chamber 122 cm in diameter consisting of an upper cylindrical section 61 cm high and of a lower conical section 108 cm high. Measurements were made with a five-channel pressure probe of the radial profiles of tangential and axial velocities, with varying inlet air velocity and axial distance from the top of the chamber. Measurements of the static pressure profiles were made simultaneously. Finally, the angle of flow of the air entering through the single tangential inlet could be adjusted, and its effects on the flow recorded. From these results and from a theoretical analysis, generalized expressions for the tangential velocity profiles were obtained for the two regions of flow, forced-vortex and quasi-free vortex, which prevail in a confined vortex chamber, as a function of the entrance air velocity and of the radius at the point considered only. The angle of entering air was found to have no effect on the tangential velocity and only a minor effect on the static pressure distribution. The outlet diameter of the chamber was found to have a large effect on the profile of the axial velocities, reflecting the influence of the chamber static pressure on the later.     

Flow Characteristics in a Vortex Chamber

In this article we examine confined swirling flows using the integral equations of continuity and energy, along with the minimum pressure criterion. The pressure drop and the core size have been studied in the swirling confined vortex chamber. Both the n = 2 vortex model, with reverse and non‐reverse flow, and the free vortex model have been used at the vortex chamber exit plane. The influence of vortex chamber geometry, such as contraction ratio, inlet angle, area ratio, aspect ratio, and Reynolds number, on the flow field has been analyzed and compared with the present experimental data. The pressure drop across the vortex chamber differs from that in pipe flow, due to the mechanism of swirl flow that depends mainly on the intensity of tangential velocity. If the chamber length is increased, the vortex decays producing a weaker tangential velocity (less centrifugal force) that leads to less pressure drop. Based on the present theory, a new approach to determine the tangential velocity and radial pressure profiles inside the vortex chamber is developed and compared with the available experimental data. It shown that the n = 2 vortex model with reverse flow gives better results for strongly swirling flow.     

Measurements and modelling of free-surface turbulent flows induced by a magnetic stirrer in an unbaffled stirred tank reactor

Measurements and numerical simulations of turbulent flows with free-surface vortex in an unbaffled reactor agitated by a cylindrical magnetic stirrer are presented. Measurements of the three mean and fluctuating components of the velocity vector are made using a laser Doppler velocimetry in order to characterise the flow field at different speeds of the stirrer. A homogeneous Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase flow model coupled with a volume-of-fluid method for interface capturing is applied to determine the vortex shape and to compute the turbulent flow field in the reactor. Turbulence is modelled using a second-moment differential Reynolds-stress transport (RST) model, but for some cases the k-ε/k-ω based shear-stress transport (SST) model is also used. The predictions obtained using the ANSYS CFX-5.7 computational fluid dynamics code are compared with the images of the vortex and the measured distributions of mean axial, radial and tangential velocities and turbulent kinetic energy. The predicted general shape of the liquid free-surface is in good agreement with measurements, but the vortex depth is underpredicted. The overall agreement between the measured and the predicted axial and tangential velocities obtained with the RST model is good. However, the radial velocity is significantly underpredicted. Predictions of the turbulent kinetic energy yield reasonably good agreement with measurements in the bulk flow region, but discrepancy exists near the reactor wall where this quantity is underpredicted. The SST model predictions are generally of the same quality as those of the RST model, with the latter model providing better predictions of the tangential velocity distribution.     

旋流数为1.0的强旋湍流两相流动的PDPA实验

采用相位多普勒颗粒测速仪 (PDPA)对旋流数为 1 0的轴向和切向进风的圆柱形旋风筒内强旋湍流气粒两相流动进行了测量研究 ,并与旋流数为 0 47、 1 5和 2 0 8的实验结果进行了对比分析 ,指出了旋流数变化对两相流场及两相湍流特性的影响 .     

Stereoscopic PIV studies on the swirling flow structure in a gas cyclone

Understanding the swirling flow in a gas cyclone is of great importance in improving the cyclone design. Once the three-dimensional strong swirling flow is fully understood, cyclone performance such as pressure drop and separation efficiency can be improved by optimizing the cyclone design. The swirling flow was investigated by the stereoscopic particle image velocimetry (Stereo-PIV) in this work. The instantaneous whole-field tangential, axial, and radial velocities were measured simultaneously in the cylindrical and conical separation zone, and in the dust hopper area of the cyclone with gas inlet velocity of .The time-averaged flow pattern in the cylindrical and conical sections of the cyclone showed: a typical Rankine vortex with inner quasi-forced vortex and outer quasi-free vortex which is generated by tangential gas velocity; inner upward flow and outer downward flow of axial gas velocity; and centripetal flow in the region close to the wall due to the presence of radial gas velocity. In the dust hopper, a secondary longitudinal circular flow is formed in the annulus area between the conical body and the cylindrical wall. Experimental results indicate that the separated particles may be re-entrained into the cyclone from the bin to degrade the separation efficiency of the cyclone.     

导风叶片对涡流空气分级机内流场的影响

利用ANSYS-Fluent 17.0软件对有、无导风叶片两种结构的涡流空气分级机内流场进行数值模拟和对比分析,研究了导风叶片对涡流空气分级机内流场的影响。数值模拟结果表明：导风叶片降低了转笼外缘处气流切向速度,从而影响转笼通道内旋涡的分布情况,使有、无导风叶片两种结构的稳定工况不同;导风叶片减小了转笼外缘处气流径向速度的波动和湍流耗散率,此处流场分布相对均匀,有利于提高分级精度;此外,导风叶片在导流过程中,改变了环形区速度场的分布,气流切向速度减小,径向速度增大,径向速度的增大使其分级粒径增大。碳酸钙物料分级实验结果表明：具有导风叶片结构的涡流空气分级机分级粒径较大,分级精度较高;导风叶片处较大的湍流耗散率有助于粉体分散,明显减弱“鱼钩效应”现象。     

SK型静态混合器出口速度特性研究

以SK型静态混合器为研究对象,运用激光多普勒测速仪对混合管出口速度进行测量。结果表明,流体离开混合元件后,混合元件作用于流体形成的旋涡还将维持一段距离,在离开混合管出口约3/8~3/4元件长度后才完全消失,在此之前对径向混合仍有一定强化作用;而混合元件对流体湍动的强化作用在流体离开混合元件后能持续更长距离,脉动均方根与湍流强度在离混合管出口一个混合元件长度范围内衰减较快,而后逐渐减缓,在离混合管出口4~5倍混合元件长度后才恢复到入口水平;速度脉动均方根在轴向与径向上衰减较快而在切向上衰减相对缓慢。     

提升管出口SVQS自然旋风长度的数值模拟

采用RNG k-ε湍流模型对一套φ600 mm×4150 mm的SVQS旋流快分装置的气相流场及自然旋风长度进行了模拟研究。结果表明,SVQS旋风尾涡的截面位置与隔流筒下端面最大切向速度衰减达88%时的截面位置相吻合,并据此定义了SVQS的自然旋风长度。基于SVQS旋流快分切向速度的分布规律发现,SVQS的自然旋风长度随喷口气速的增加和汽提气速的减小而逐渐增大。参照旋风分离器自然旋风长度的计算方法,基于SVQS旋流快分的结构特点及模拟计算结果,提出了提升管出口SVQS旋流快分自然旋风长度的计算关系式。     

MEASUREMENTS OF MEAN VELOCITY PROFILES IN A HYDROCYCLONE USING LASER DOPPLER ANEMOMETRY

A quantitative study of the axial and tangential components of the mean velocity in a 3'-hydrocyclone using laser doppler anemometry has revealed multiple reverse flows in the vortex core. Flow visualization by dye injection shows that these flows are coherent over a significant portion of the hydrocyclone and that little radial mixing occurs between these secondary flows and the outer helical flow. A 2:1 contraction in the vortex finder plays an important role in causing four distinct simultaneous countercurrent flows in the conical section of the hydrocyclone.     

Measurements of flow characteristics in a confined vortex flow

A study of air flow patterns by hot-wire anemometry is reported for a vortex chamber consisting of an upper cylindrical section 122 cm in diameter and 61 cm high and a conical bottom section 122 cm high. Quantitative data are presented for flow angles, profiles of mean tangential and axial velocities, and radial distributions of tangential and axial intensities of turbulence as a function of air entrance velocities of 1.6, 2.4 and 3.2 m/s, and axial distance from the top of the chamber. In general, the quantitative results confirm the theoretical predictions and the experimental trends reported in the literature. In particular, they fully support the conclusion that the flow pattern is relatively insensitive to the entrance volumetric flow rate. A generalized correlation is presented for the axial velocity distribution. Preliminary correlations are also presented for the tangential velocity distributions in the core and in the annular region of the vortex near the wall. These were found to be functions of the axial location and of the air entrance velocity.     

旋风分离器高温流场的实验测量

引言 对旋风分离器内流场的认识是研究其分离过程的基础.长期以来,人们对旋风分离器内流场的结构、速度分布等进行了大量的测量和分析,认识到旋风分离器内是一个三维强旋旋湍流场.     

催化裂化用短接触旋流反应器内气固滑移特性

利用欧拉-欧拉双流体模型对短接触旋流反应器分离腔内气固滑移特性进行了数值模拟,主要研究了切向气固滑移速度的分布规律,并考察了操作参数和物性参数对分离腔内切向滑移速度的影响。计算结果表明,分离腔内切向气固滑移速度沿径向呈“驼峰”分布;当气相入口速度增大或者剂气比减小时,切向气固滑移速度变小,颗粒切向速度增大,离心力增大,有利于提高气固分离效率;颗粒密度对切向滑移速度分布影响不大;颗粒粒径较大时,在排尘口易出现堵塞,不利于长周期运行;建立了截面平均切向气固滑移速度计算模型,计算值与模拟结果误差在±7.0%以内。     

蜗壳式旋风分离器全空间三维时均流场的结构

采用激光多普勒测速系统（LDV）对蜗壳式旋风分离器全空间内三维湍流的时均流场进行了实验测定与分析,重点讨论了灰斗、环形空间和排气管的流场特点.分离空间内时均流场是外侧准自由涡与内侧准强制涡的典型结构.环形空间的入口部位有多个纵向二次涡,其他大部分空间顶部出现纵向二次环流,切向速度和径向速度的分布呈现非轴对称性,入口气量沿高度分布不均匀.灰斗的顶部也存在纵向二次环流.排气管内轴向速度分布与分离空间内的分布形态迥异.     

Flow patterns in conical and cylindrical hydrocyclones

Using a two beam, 300 mW laser Doppler velocimeter, the tangential and axial velocity fields were determined for the water flow in a 102-mm modular hydrocyclone. The body of the equipment could be changed to transform it into a conical or a flat bottom hydrocyclone. During the tests the pressure drop and the diameter of apex and vortex were varied and the axial and the tangential velocities and their turbulence intensity were measured. The results shows that the inlet pressure affects only the magnitude of the velocities, but does not change the flow pattern. The tangential velocity is similar in both types of hydrocylones while the axial velocity is different. In both hydrocyclones the axial velocity is a function of the radial position but, while it is a linear function of the vertical coordinate in the cylindrical hydrocyclone, this is not the case for the conical vessel.