Dense Phase Mixing in a Solid-Liquid Stirred Tank by Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation

Jiang, Shengkun; Zhao, Yuanyuan; Zhao, Xin; Chen, Chunlin; Tu, Wenwen; Chi, Yu; Wang, Junhao

doi:10.3390/pr13061876

This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.

Open AccessArticle

Dense Phase Mixing in a Solid-Liquid Stirred Tank by Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation

by

Shengkun Jiang

¹,

Yuanyuan Zhao

^1,*,

Xin Zhao

¹,

Chunlin Chen

²,

Wenwen Tu

²,

Yu Chi

¹ and

Junhao Wang

^3,*

¹

China Wuzhou Engineering Group Corporation LTD, Beijing 100053, China

²

Luzhou North Chemical Industries Co., Ltd., Luzhou 646000, China

³

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Resource Engineering, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Processes 2025, 13(6), 1876; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061876

Submission received: 13 May 2025 / Revised: 4 June 2025 / Accepted: 10 June 2025 / Published: 13 June 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) in Chemical Process Simulations)

Download Versions Notes

Abstract

This study numerically investigates the solid–liquid mixing characteristics in solid–liquid stirred tanks with solid volume fraction as high as 35%, focusing on the effect of impeller and baffle configurations on solid and liquid flow behaviors. Three stirred tanks with different capacities and impellers were analyzed to evaluate liquid flow field, solid suspension, and free surface profiles. It has demonstrated superior shear rate uniformity in the multi-impeller systems compared to the single-impeller, attributed to the enhanced fluid circulation. Multi-impeller systems can achieve near-complete off-bottom suspension, while the single-impeller configuration exhibited band-shaped particle accumulation above the impeller. Free surface vortices, significantly deeper in the 6 m³ multi-impeller tank due to high blade tip velocities, were mitigated through the integration of four circumferentially arranged triangular baffles. The existence of baffles can suppress surface turbulence, promote axial flow patterns, and eliminate particle accumulation at the tank bottom, improving shear rate and solid concentration homogeneity. These findings provide a beneficial guideline for the optimization of solid–liquid mixing efficiency the similar flow system or processes.

Keywords: solid–liquid mixing; numerical simulation; baffle; multi-impeller; free surface vortex

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Jiang, S.; Zhao, Y.; Zhao, X.; Chen, C.; Tu, W.; Chi, Y.; Wang, J. Dense Phase Mixing in a Solid-Liquid Stirred Tank by Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation. Processes 2025, 13, 1876. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061876

AMA Style

Jiang S, Zhao Y, Zhao X, Chen C, Tu W, Chi Y, Wang J. Dense Phase Mixing in a Solid-Liquid Stirred Tank by Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation. Processes. 2025; 13(6):1876. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061876

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jiang, Shengkun, Yuanyuan Zhao, Xin Zhao, Chunlin Chen, Wenwen Tu, Yu Chi, and Junhao Wang. 2025. "Dense Phase Mixing in a Solid-Liquid Stirred Tank by Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation" Processes 13, no. 6: 1876. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061876

APA Style

Jiang, S., Zhao, Y., Zhao, X., Chen, C., Tu, W., Chi, Y., & Wang, J. (2025). Dense Phase Mixing in a Solid-Liquid Stirred Tank by Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation. Processes, 13(6), 1876. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13061876

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Menu

Dense Phase Mixing in a Solid-Liquid Stirred Tank by Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation

Abstract

Share and Cite

Article Metrics

Article Access Statistics

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI