Hydrodynamic study involving a maxblend impeller with yield stress fluids

In the present study, the hydrodynamic characteristics of the Maxblend impeller have been investigated. A commercial CFD package (CFX 12.0) was used to solve the 3D hydrodynamics and to characterize the flow patterns at every point. A shear thinning fluid with yield stress was modeled in the laminar regime and transition regime. The study focused on the effect of fluid rheology, agitator speed, impeller clearance from the tank bottom and blade size on the fluid flow and power consumption. Predictions have been compared with literature data and a satisfactory agreement has been found.