Modeling of Mixing and Precipitation Using CFD and Population Balances

Abstract

AbstractSimulations of particle size distributions in technical precipitation reactors require the consideration of turbulent mixing and precipitation kinetics. For that, spatially resolved population balances have to be evaluated. In turbulent flows these balances cannot be solved directly, instead either Reynolds averaging or Large Eddy Simulations have to be applied, while unresolved fluctuations need to be modeled. Reynolds averaging of the population balance leads to a turbulent growth dispersion term which has to be modeled. As no theoretically founded approach is available, an assumption was made in analogy to the turbulent diffusion, which improves the prediction of the size distribution shape compared to experiments.