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Flocculation is an important process used by AguaClara to treat water. The process involves particle collisions and agglomeration to form flocs. Computational Fluid Dynamics was used to better understand the fluid dynamics that 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, which agrees with literature estimates. After a clearance height of one baffle width or greater, neither the pressure coefficient drop nor and the maximum velocity are sensitive to the clearance heightbecome approximately constant. 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 dynamics will enable optimization of the flocculator geometry thereby controlling optimized particle agglomeration and break-up.
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