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Algebraic modeling of the liquid film dynamics in a centrifugal separator
Author(s) -
Ninahuanca H. E. M.,
Stel H.,
Morales R. E. M.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
aiche journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.958
H-Index - 167
eISSN - 1547-5905
pISSN - 0001-1541
DOI - 10.1002/aic.15724
Subject(s) - computational fluid dynamics , mechanics , froude number , fluid dynamics , algebraic number , separator (oil production) , reynolds number , flow (mathematics) , mechanical engineering , thermodynamics , computer science , mathematics , physics , engineering , mathematical analysis , turbulence
This work presents an algebraic model to estimate liquid film flow variables in a centrifugal separator. A mechanistic approach is employed to evaluate operating quantities such as the film thickness and velocity components. The model is based on a force balance on a fluid element of an idealized mean streamline. Additional terms account for the sudden spread of the inflowing stream at the entrance of the cylindrical chamber. A previously validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model is used to provide some constants for constitutive equations required by the algebraic model. Results from the algebraic and CFD models agree well for a wide range of Reynolds and Froude numbers. The proposed model can be useful to obtain fast and accurate predictions of the behavior of the liquid flow in the type of separators studied and to help designing more reliable and efficient concepts. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J , 63: 4147–4160, 2017