Comparative study of heat transfer in apparatuses with turbine and blade agitators

Kazan National Research Technological University, 68, Karl Marx St., 420015, Kazan, Russia

^* Corresponding author: c888aa@mail.ru

Abstract

In the framework of this research, modeling of flows and heat transfer in apparatuses with turbine and blade agitators using the ANSYS CFX software package has been carried out. The purpose of the work is to create digital prototypes of apparatuses with stirring devices to improve the effectiveness of technological processes of various chemical and petrochemical industries. Modeling was carried out on the basis of three different objectives, including the processes of water heating and mixture of water with glycerol. In each objective, the heating and circulation characteristics of the liquid during mixing using turbine and blade agitators were investigated. The effects of parameters such as apparatus wall temperature, water and mixture flow rate, rotation speed and agitator type on the time characteristics of reaching steady-state were evaluated. The simulation results demonstrated that turbine and blade agitators provide more efficient mixing and heating of the liquid compared to blade agitators, all other conditions being equal. Fluid temperatures reached higher values in a shorter time when turbine agitators were used, making them preferable for processes where intensive mixing and rapid heating are required. This approach can be useful to optimize mixing processes on production lines and improve the energy efficiency of production facilities.