The use of a non-Newtonian fluid to visualize the mixing of a pseudo-homogeneous slurry
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Melbourne, Victoria (Australia). Division of Building, Construction and Engineering
- Queensland Alumina Limited, Gladstone (Australia). Plant Engineering Dept.
The efficient mixing of suspensions is important t many mineral processing extraction operations. A flow visualization study was undertaken by CSIRO using a pseudo-plastic yield stress fluid in a one-ninth scale model mixing vessel with impellers. The non-Newtonian viscosity characteristics of the model fluid matched those of a slurry encountered in the alumina industry. Flow visualization showed that the fluid foil blades on the impellers were stalled and generated radial flows rather than axial flows, leading to massive scaling in the mixing vessel. Repositioning the impellers brought the blades out of stall and oiled to near ideal mixing. Subsequent installation of the modified agitator configuration in the full size vessel confirmed the scale model results.
- OSTI ID:
- 110088
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-940659-; ISBN 0-7918-1372-X; TRN: IM9543%%390
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 1994 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Fluids Engineering Division summer meeting, Lake Tahoe, NV (United States), 19-23 Jun 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Liquid-solid flows 1994. FED Volume 189; Roco, M.C.; Crowe, C.T.; Joseph, D.D.; Michaelides, E.E. [eds.]; PB: 263 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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