Conference Proceedings
Volume 2, Fora: Cavitation and Multiphase Flow; Fluid Measurements and Instrumentation; Microfluidics; Multiphase Flows: Work in Progress, 2013
Authors
William L. Kuhn, David R. Rector, Judith A. Bamberger, Michael J. Minette
Abstract
Vessels mixed using pulse jet mixers that produce a periodic, rather than steady, flow present challenges with respect to modeling slurry mixing. A PJM is a cylindrical tank within the mixed tank that has a conical bottom with an orifice through which process fluid cyclically enters and is expelled forcefully by pressurizing the air space above the liquid in the PJM. Between pulses, some of the solids settle from the slurry, which nominally is a failure in mixing, but during the pulses (if operated to attain bottom clearing conditions), all of the solids are resuspended and made available for processing or transfer. Overall, mixing is successful if the solids are processed and removed from the vessel as needed when averaged over repeated PJM cycles. This paper describes the physics of pulse jet mixing process based on physical observation during experiments and analysis of experimental concentration profile data obtained during the mixing cycle.
