Premium
Using CFD to identify means of reducing power consumption for mixing and suspension in paper pulp stock chests
Author(s) -
Kor Yann Kae,
Prince Rolf G. H.,
Fletcher David F.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
asia‐pacific journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.348
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1932-2143
pISSN - 1932-2135
DOI - 10.1002/apj.126
Subject(s) - agitator , impeller , power consumption , computational fluid dynamics , pulp (tooth) , mixing (physics) , stock (firearms) , computer science , mechanical engineering , process engineering , engineering , power (physics) , physics , thermodynamics , medicine , pathology , quantum mechanics , aerospace engineering
This paper presents ongoing work at Australia's largest paper recycler, Visy Pulp & Paper, involving experimental and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies to understand paper pulp mixing processes, aimed at identifying means of reducing the large power consumption of the agitators currently used. The key focus of this paper is on the modelling of a pseudo‐plastic fluid and the determination of means by which adequate flow circulation can be maintained in such a system. We look at reducing the present agitator speed, at using a larger impeller, and examine the performance of a completely different design. Power consumption reductions of 50%, and perhaps 75–80%, from present levels, appear feasible and could be implemented economically. Copyright © 2008 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.