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Title: Better Understanding of Flocculation Process through CFD Simulation
Abstract
Flocculation is one of an important process used by Aguaclara AguaClara to treat water. The process involved particles collide in the solution and come together involves particle collisions and agglomeration to form floc. This paper aims to present a methodology of using CFD to flocs. Computational Fluid Dynamics was used to better understand the phenomena fluid dynamics that take place in the flocculation tank. takes place in the reactor. The standard k-e model was used for every simulation model. The pressure coefficient drop over one baffle turn is 3.75. After one baffle width, neither the pressure coefficient drop nor the maximum velocity are sensitive to the clearance height. Most of the energy dissipation occurs in the region after the turn over a distance of two baffle widths. An area of flow recirculation occurs near the center wall immediately after the turn. The pressure drop is not sensitive to the Reynolds number for a large range of inlet velocities. Better understanding of the flocculation process dynamics will enable the team to better design the water treatment systemoptimization of the flocculator geometry thereby controlling particle agglomeration and break-up.
1. Introduction
Flocculation is direct process of particle collision. Past research has shown that fluid shear plays important role in causing the collision. Hence using CFD, the process in the flocculation tank is simulated. The ultimate result of this research is to find the strain rate in the flow that causes the shearing process which influencing the particle collision. The CFD tools that were used in the modeling process were Gambit and FLUENT. Gambit was used to create the geometry of the flocculator, set up boundary conditions and creating mesh while FLUENT was used to plug in the data and initial conditions to obtain solution.
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