Efficient Selection

of Agitators
KARL-ERIK RBERG
SULZER PUMPS

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is an efficient

tool for the selection of agitators. CFD gives the
engineer the possibility to estimate efficiency of the
agitator before manufacturing starts. Sulzer Pumps
is using a commercial CFD-based tool especially
designed for agitator selection, implemented with
Sulzer type impellers.

The use of CFD for fluid flow

calculations has increased
rapidly over the last years. CFD is
used for calculations of pump flow
and cavitation (see STR 2/2001,
p. 24), flow and mixing inside
flue gas treatment plants (see STR
2/2002, p. 10), NOx concentration
in burners, etc. In the process industry, CFD is also used for calculations of fluid flow in stirred
tanks. By applying correct models
for the rotating impeller and the
fluid, the flow pattern in the tank

10

SULZER TECHNICAL REVIEW 3/2003

can be calculated. From the flow

pattern it is then possible to evaluate the efficiency of the agitator.

Not Too Big and Not Too Small

It is common that insufficient
knowledge of the mixing process
leads to the selection of too big agitators. Normally, this is harmless
to the process, but energy and investment costs are higher than
needed. Too weak mixing, on the
other hand, can lead to problems
in running the process. In the

4096

worst case, the agitator has to be

replaced.
As a recognized producer of agitators, mainly for the pulp and paper
industry (see STR 3/2001, p. 20),
Sulzer Pumps Finland is familiar
with these problems and has therefore introduced a new tool for se-

1 At Sulzer Pumps, a CFD-based

tool is used for the selection of
agitators for different applications.
Thus customers avoid to employ
oversized mixers.

lecting mixers (Fig. 1). By using

this CFD-based tool implemented
with Sulzer type impellers in the
design of stirred tanks, it is easy to
test the influence of parameters
like rotation speed, impeller type
and diameter, location of impellers, tank geometry and size of
flow baffles, tank diameter and
height on the flow pattern. Furthermore, the effects of fluid density and viscosity can be simulated. Parameters related to mixing,
such as mixing time, are calculated from the simulated flow field.

however be a problem, since the

size of a pilot plant test tank often
is small compared to a productionsize tank. In CFD simulations,
scale-up is not a problem.
Even though the flow field and
some mixing parameters are calculated, the user still has to decide if
the agitator is suitable for the
process. The simulations may
show that in some parts of the tank
the flow is very slow, and if this
cannot be allowed, another agitator has to be selected.
Agitators are often used to keep a
suspension in motion to prevent
settling of particles in the tank bottom. By using the CFD-based selection tool, it is possible to evaluate whether the flow in the tank is
strong enough to keep the solid
particles in motion.

Further Development of the Tool

Nowadays, the CFD-based selection tool is applicable for vertical
agitators only. Since software companies are developing such tools
further, it will be possible to use
also side-entry agitators in the
near future.
Today, Sulzer Pumps is using the
tool as part of the daily selection
of agitators for different applications (Fig. 3). Skills in mixing technology and many years of experience are used to evaluate the calculated flow patterns.

Simulations and Pilot Plant

Testing

CONTACT

CFD is complementary to experimental mixing studies. Many cases are difficult to model mathematically, such as the mixing of
complex two- or three-phase fluids, dissolving of solids, etc. In
these cases, it is safer to do tests in
pilot plants (Fig. 2). Scale-up can

Sulzer Pumps Finland Oy

Karl-Erik Rberg
Sokerikatu 1
FI-24100 Salo
Finland
Phone +358-(0)2-777 12 33
Fax +358-(0)2-777 12 99
karl-erik.roberg@sulzer.com

2 Pilot plant tests are often complementary to CFD

simulations. The figure shows the Sulzer Pumps mixing
research center in Salo, Finland.
3 Calculated flow
pattern in a blackliquor storage tank
equipped with a
Salomix 3-paddle
agitator. (Black
liquor is the liquid
that results from the
cooking of wood
chips in a pulp mill.)

SULZER TECHNICAL REVIEW 3/2003

11