Flow Patterns in Agitator
Flow Patterns in Agitator
Flow Patterns in Agitator
Tangential
component induces vortex and swirling, which in turn create stratification responsible for
nonuniform mixing. In such case fluid particles are followed by another fluid particle.
At relatively higher rpm, the center of vortex may reach impeller and air may be sucked
in. This may not be desirable.
Swirling can be minimized by placing the shaft slightly away from the center of the
vessel, or by putting baffles. In the latterconfiguration, tangential streamlines will also
be reduced.
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Turbulent flow occurs at high Reynolds numbers and is dominated by inertial forces,
which tend to produce chaotic eddies, vortices and other flow instabilities.
For flow in a pipe or tube, the Reynolds number is generally defined as:
DH is the hydraulic diameter of the pipe; its characteristic travelled length, (m).
Q is the volumetric flow rate (m3/s).
A is the pipe cross-sectional area (m).
v is the mean velocity of the fluid (SI units: m/s).
is the dynamic viscosity of the fluid (Pas = Ns/m = kg/(ms)).
(m/s).
1.8.2Prandtl number
The Prandtl number Pr is a dimensionless number, named after the German physicist Ludwig
Prandtl, defined as the ratio of momentum diffusivity (kinematic viscosity) to thermal. That is,
the Prandtl number is given as:
: kinematic viscosity,
: thermal diffusivity,
, (SI units : m2/s)
: dynamic viscosity, (SI units : Pa s = N s/m2)
: thermal conductivity, (SI units : W/(m K) )
: specific heat, (SI units : J/(kg K) )
: Density, (SI units: kg/m3 ).
1.8.3Froude number
The Froude number Fr is a dimensionless number defined as the ratio of a characteristic velocity
to a gravity wave velocity. It may equivalently be defined as the ratio of a body's inertia to
gravitational forces.
In fluid mechanics, the Froude number is used to determine the resistance of a partially
submerged object moving through water, and permits the comparison of objects of different
sizes.
The Froude number is defined as:
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References:
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