UBC Mechanical Engineering CFD Modeling Group
Dr. Martha SalcudeanWeyerhaeuser Industrial Research ChairFellow C.S.M.E., F.C.A.A., F.R.S.C.
Dr. Ian GartshoreFellow C.A.S.I.
FLUID - FIBER INTERACTION IN HYDRO-CYCLONES
FUNDINGFUNDING
- FRBC- Network for Mechanical Pulping- Weyerhaeuser Paper Company
Zhengbing Bian Paul Nowak
Eric Bibeau Mohammad Shariati
Suqin Dong Emil Statie
Xioasi Feng David Stropky
Mike Georgallis Zhu Zhi Xiao
Pingfan He Jerry Yuan
Lu Hua Kegang Zhang
OBJECTIVES• Compute 3D flow in hydro-cyclones• Improve mathematical models of swirling flows• Develop mathematical models to compute fiber trajectories
in complex flows• Model separation and fractionation according to fiber
properties in hydro-cyclones
MODEL• Modified k- model for highly curved turbulent flows• Finite volume discretization using a generalized curvilinear system• Particle tracking through explicit time marching based on force
balance
END-USERS
• Pulp mills requiring high efficiency for fiber cleaning and fractionation• Hydro-cyclone manufacturers
• Increase operating efficiency for hydro-cyclones• Optimize the hydro-cyclones design• Evaluate the influence on fractionation of fiber wet density, fiber
diameter, fiber length, and fiber specific surface• Evaluate the influence of the fluid temperature on fractionation• Predict the fractionation performance of a hydro-cyclone for given
fiber properties
diameter (microns)
carried
over(%)
10
10
20
20
30
30
40
40
50
50
60
60
70
70
0 0
10 10
20 20
30 30
40 40
50 50
60 60
70 70
80 80
90 90
100 100
A diameterB diameter
Fiber A
*
*
Fiber B
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
0
20
40
60
80
100
carried
over(%)
5
0
20
40
60
80
100
carriedover(%
)
5
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
cov89.62577.67565.72553.77541.82529.87517.9255.975
densityrel = 1.04
densityrel = 1.14
densityrel = 1.42 20
40
60
0
50
100
carried
over(%)
1.2
1.4
0
50
100
carriedover(%
)
1.2
1.4
20
40
60
cov22.220.385718.571416.757114.942913.128611.31439.57.685715.871434.057142.242860.428571-1.38571-3.2
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
diameter (microns)10 20 30 40 50 60 70
diameter (microns)
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
d ensity
rel
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
d ensity
rel
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
d ensity
rel
10 20 30 40 50 60 70
diameter (microns)
The difference between particles carried over at t = 20°C and t = 45°C.The yellow grid represents particles carried over at t = 20°C
x
r
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
0.035
0.04
(a)
x
r
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
0.035
0.04
p1.52431E+071.42361E+071.32292E+071.22222E+071.12153E+071.02083E+079.20135E+068.1944E+067.18745E+066.1805E+065.17355E+064.1666E+063.15965E+062.1527E+061.14575E+06
(b)
x
r
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.40
0.005
0.01
0.015
0.02
0.025
0.03
0.035
0.04sw
2.845312.655632.465942.276252.086561.896881.707191.51751.327811.138130.9484380.758750.5690630.3793750.189688
(c)
(a) Velocity vectors, (b) pressure contours, and (c) swirl velocity contours in a hydrocyclone
length (mm)
carried
over(%)
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6
6
0 0
10 10
20 20
30 30
40 40
50 50
60 60
70 70
80 80
90 90
100 100
A lengthB length
Fiber A
*
*
Fiber B
Influence of the particle length on fractionation
densityrel
carried
over(%)
1
1
1.1
1.1
1.2
1.2
1.3
1.3
1.4
1.4
0 0
10 10
20 20
30 30
40 40
50 50
60 60
70 70
80 80
90 90
100 100
A densityrelB densityrel
*
*
Fiber B
Fiber A
Influence of the particle density on fractionation
Separation on diameter and length as function of the particle density
Influence of the particle diameter on fractionation
Other Institutions
Government Industry
TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
License agreement
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Consultingagreements
Customagreements
Licenseagreements
PSL
BENEFITS
00.05
0.10.15
0.20.25
0.30.35
0.4
Feed 36 50 59.1 67.1 73.1
Feed Flowrate (kg/min.)
AcceptsRejects
Fibre Coarseness (mm)
Coarseness vs. flow rate for synthetic fibres for Bauer cleaner
