Scaling Laws for Reduced-Scale Tests of Pulse Jet Mixing Systems in Non-Newtonian Slurries: Gas Retention and Release Behavior

Conference · Thu Mar 02 04:00:00 EST 2006

OSTI ID:891150

Stewart, Charles W; Meyer, Perry A; Kurath, Dean E; Barnes, Steven M

The Waste Treatment Plant (WTP) under construction at the Hanford Site will use pulse jet mixer (PJM) technology for mixing and gas retention control applications in tanks expected to contain waste slurries exhibiting a non-Newtonian rheology. This paper presents the results of theoretical and experimental studies performed to establish the methodology to perform reduced-scale gas retention and release tests with PJM systems in non-Newtonian fluids with gas generation. The technical basis for scaled testing with unsteady jet mixing systems in gas-generating non-Newtonian fluids is presented in the form of a bubble migration model that accounts for the gas generation rate, the average bubble rise velocity, and the geometry of the vessel. Scaling laws developed from the model were validated with gas holdup and release tests conducted at three scales: large scale, 1/4 scale, and 1/9 scale. Experiments were conducted with two non-Newtonian simulants with in-situ gas generation by decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. The data were compared non-dimensionally, and the important scale laws were examined. From these results, scaling laws are developed which allow the design of mixing systems at a reduced scale.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 891150
• Report Number(s): PNWD-SA-7254
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

12 MANAGEMENT OF RADIOACTIVE AND NON-RADIOACTIVE WASTES FROM NUCLEAR FACILITIES
BUBBLES
DEGASSING
DESIGN
FLOW MODELS
FLOW RATE
HANFORD RESERVATION
LIQUID WASTES
MIXERS
RADIOACTIVE WASTE PROCESSING
RHEOLOGY
SCALING LAWS
SLURRIES
TANKS
TESTING