International Journal of Advance

Engineering and Research Development

Scientific Journal of Impact Factor (SJIF): 4.72
Special Issue SIEICON-2017,April -2017
e-ISSN : 2348-4470 p-ISSN : 2348-6406

Design Modicication and Analysis of Mixing Tank-A Review

Romil Gadiya1, Ankush Patel2, Rajdip Raulji3, Ghanshyam Gandhi4, B P Patel5
1,2,3,4
Mechanical Engineering, Sigma Institute of Engineering
5
Asst. Prof. Mechanical Engineering, Sigma Institute of Engineering

Abstract: The mixing tank is used for mixing the two or more chemicals in the chemical industry. It should have
sufficient arrangement for better mixing quality in optimum time, better quality of mixing of two chemical in required
batch as per the customer requirement. Modification of existing design of the mixing tank by changing the mixing system
like industrial agitators should be analysis in software base model. Effectiveness of modification will be compared with the
existing design with the help of computational fluid dynamics analysis.

Keywords- Mixing Tank, Double Drive Reactor, Reaction Vessel, CFD of Mixing, Chemical Rector.

I. INTRODUCTION

Mixing tank is like a pressure vessel in which two or more chemicals are going to be mix. This mixing process is
called as reaction process. So it is also called as Reaction Vessels. And this reaction process deals with multiple aspects of
chemical engineering. And this process is characterized by chemical change. Chemical reaction process is transformation
of one set of chemical substance to another. This process is only involved with the position of electrons in the forming and
breaking of chemical bonds between atoms and no change of nuclei. All this process can be presented in form of chemical
equation. The substances which are involved in chemical reaction are called as reactants/reagents.

The different techniques are used for the mixing of the chemicals in minimum time with better mixing quality.
The different technique used may be different type of blade, motor, impeller, jets and baffles. The blade is available shapes
and size. By changing the blade shape it is possible to change the flow characteristics which will results into better mixing
quality. By the changing of the speed of the motor, one can provide rotating power to the shaft which will help to
improving the contact area between chemical. In case of impeller they also available in different size and design, it gives
the motion to the chemical for mixing so that it will increase the mixing quality of the chemical. For the proper flow angle
of jet is more important. By using technique discussed above is used to improve mixing quality of the chemical and reduce
the mixing time. The authors of this literature believes that by using two shaft agitator system the rate of mixing the two
chemical will be faster compare to single shaft system with minimum increase of pressure.

II. LITERATURE REVIEW

An effect of the eccentric position of the propeller agitator on the mixing time was studied by J. karoz and J.
szoplik [1]. Three-blade propeller was used to agitate the liquid. An effect of the eccentric position of the propeller
agitator on the mixing time is presented.

Figure 1. Position of measurement (r1, r2, r3 and ' = 0, 90, 180, and 270 at z = 0.2 m) and tracer dosage (r=R = 0:71,
'IP1= 200 and 'IP2 = 340 at z = 0 m) points within the agitated vessel.

The case of the upward and downward pumping mode of the single and double propeller agitators, located
eccentrically in the cylindrical vessel with the liquid volume of 0.27 m3, was analyzed. About 700 experimental data of
mixing time were collected for agitated vessel equipped with centrally or eccentrically located propeller agitator within the
turbulent regime of the Newtonian liquid flow. The propeller agitator was placed in the eccentric position which will

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 International Journal of Advance Engineering and Research Development (IJAERD)
Special Issue SIEICON-2017, April -2017,e-ISSN: 2348 - 4470 , print-ISSN:2348-6406

increase the quality of mixing of the two chemical compositions. With the increasing in the eccentric position of the
agitator, it also increases in the quality of mixing, reduce the time of mixing, but increase in power consumption.

Effect of the shaft eccentricity and rotational direction on the mixing characteristics in cylindrical tank with six
curved blades was examined by HouariAmeur [2]. The impeller eccentricity is implemented to produce globally
disordered flows throughout the unbaffled cylindrical tank. For such impellers, two vortices are observed, one departing
from bellow the impeller to the vessel base, and other originating from the above the impeller towards the free liquid
surface. The interaction between the shaft and the circumferential flow dominating the tank motion generates vortex
shedding phenomena. The symmetric axial circulation of fluid flows is lost with the eccentric configuration, the axial and
radial velocity components give rise to a circumferential motion, resulting thus in the destruction of double loops formed
in the centric condition.

Figure 2. Streamlines of the dimensionless velocity for the clockwise rotational direction (+ ω), Reg = 100, solution E1,
(a) e/D = 0; (b) e/D = 0.12; (c) e/D = 0.24

Figure 3. 3D fluid flows (dimensionless velocity) for the opposite clockwise rotational direction (- ω), solution E1, Reg
= 0.1, e/D = 0.12

The effect of impeller rotational direction is also investigated i.e. the clockwise rotational direction and (- ω) the
opposite direction. The interaction with the vertical walls of vessel will generate two small eddies (n° 1 and 2) after the
blade N° 1. The fluid particle of the vortex (n° 1) generated at the tip of the blade N° 1 goes below the agitator and enters
the vortex (n° 3) generated by the blade N° 4, which will increase the axial movement of the vortex n° 3. The geometrical
shape of the blade has also a very significant effect on the size of all these vortices. Due to the eccentric position of the
shaft there is increase in quality of mixing, the better axial circulation and also reduction in power consumption. Anti-
clockwise rotation of the shaft reduces the power consumption which was increased in case of clockwise rotation.

Mixing in a fluid jet agitated tank, effort of jet angle, elevation and number of jets studied by H.D. Zughbi and
M.A. Rakib [3]. In jet mixers, a fast moving jet stream of liquid is injected into a slow moving or stationary bulk liquid.
The relative velocity between the jet and the bulk liquid creates a turbulent mixing layer at the jet boundary. This
mixing layer grows in the direction of the jet, entraining and mixing the jet liquid with the bulk liquid. Based on this
concept, it has been assumed that longer jet lengths result in better mixing.In this study, a general purpose CFD package,
FLUENT, was used to solve the equations using finite volume approximations.

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 International Journal of Advance Engineering and Research Development (IJAERD)
Special Issue SIEICON-2017, April -2017,e-ISSN: 2348 - 4470 , print-ISSN:2348-6406

The velocity vectors in a vertical plane of symmetry through the jet (z=0) for jet injection angles of 30◦ and 45◦.
As a result, the blending time, which is a strong function of the volume fraction under strong agitation, goes on decreasing
progressively with the decrease of the angle of elevation of the jet, until an optimum is observed for an angle of 30◦. These
figures clearly show how the how patterns change with changes in the angle of injection of the jet. At an angle of 45◦, the
jet length is no doubt the longest.

Figure 4. Velocity vectors in the plane of the incoming jet (z = 0), for a jet elevation of (top) 20◦ and (bottom) 30◦.

The study shows that by the changing of angle of jet there is reduction in the mixing time of the two chemical. It
is also possible if the two-side jet is used instead of one, improvement in between 40 to 68 % is achieved. All this process
are done by CFD analysis.

CFD modeling of partially baffled agitated vessels with free surfaces was explained by Jean-Philippe TORRÉ,
David F. FLETCHER, Thierry LASUYE, Catherine XUEREB[4]. By using of impeller baffle there is an unsteady and
complex, transient flow structure generated in the central line area of shaft. So this problem is overcome by changing the
rotating time intervals of the impeller. It breakdowns the initial flow at least five time of impeller rotation that is required
and get the meaningful averaging, only being after fifteen revolutions by using the partially baffled mixing vessels. The SS
initialization imposes a double loop flow structure and it takes about five revolutions to break it into multiple secondary
recirculation loops. In addition, a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) spectral analysis of the numerical velocity data obtained
from monitor point’s velocity data during twenty revolutions showed a complex, periodic flow structure.

Figure 5. Axial-radial instantaneous velocity vectors on the vertical median plane of the two baffles obtained after
steady-state (Nr = 0) and at the end of Nr = 4, 6 and 12 agitator revolutions: (a) single phase simulation; (b) two phase
simulation.
Mixing Analysis in a Stirred Tank using Computational Fluid Dynamics was done by C. P. K. Dagadu, Z.
Stegowski, B. J. A. Y. Sogbey1, S. Y. Adzaklo[5]. In this mixing of chemical by turbulent agitator is studied. By the
improving reactor design, the mixing of the product is improved and reduction in production cost. The extant of mixing is
greater in the circulation loops of the impeller discharge region and least at the top and the bottom portion of the tank
observed in Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis.

Eddy viscosity plots in horizontal planes represent the mixing levels at various depths in the tank. Figure(c)
highlights the region of highest extent of mixing occurring in the primary circulation loop of the strong impeller discharge.

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 International Journal of Advance Engineering and Research Development (IJAERD)
Special Issue SIEICON-2017, April -2017,e-ISSN: 2348 - 4470 , print-ISSN:2348-6406

A significant degree of mixing is observed in between the impeller blades as shown in Figure (b). This brings into mind
the effect of small vortices that trail each impeller blade. Trailing vortices are attributed to the high turbulent kinetic
energy produce by the blades. The trailing vortices contribute to some level of mixing in the high velocity region of the
impeller discharge and at the top section of the tank away from the impeller shaft. Mixing at the bottom of the tank is
mainly due to the dispersive effect of the secondary circulation loop located near the wall and baffles as shown in Figure
(e).

Figure 6. Contours of turbulent viscosity [kg/ms] in horizontal plane: (a) between top and upper impeller; (b)upper
impeller position; (c) midway between two impellers; (d) lower impeller position; (e) 0.5 M from bottom of tank.

Comparison of Agitators Performance for Particle Suspension in Top-Covered unbaffled Vessels examined by
Alessandro Tamburini, Andrea Cipollina, Franco Grisafi, Francesca Scargiali, Giorgio Micale, Alberto Brucato[6].
This examination concentrated the power saving during the mixing process. Normally for mixing of two fluid the baffled
vessel are used. Here for the mixing of the solid particles into liquids is done by the un-baffled vessels in stirred tank. But
due to that poor quality of mixer can be obtain than the baffled ones, so from the all analysis it shows that the mixing time
is not in control.

Figure 7. Secondary circulation in a mixer, where: Φ – lines connecting points of equal dimensionless average axial
velocity, r* – dimensionless radius

Optimization of geometry of helical ribbon impeller operating in the laminar flow of the liquid was done by
Krzysztof SZULC[7]. This work presented that by using the helical ribbon shown in Figure (7) impeller in place of
normal blade, one can get the homogenization time at secondary circulation. So that in ribbon impeller the homogenization
time increases with a decreases in the pitch of the ribbon and decreases in impeller’s diameter. The time of
homogenization may be regarded as the time needed to obtain a defined degree of homogenization in the mixer being
appropriate from the technological point of view. It is stated that the homogenization time is strictly connected with the
circulation time both in the turbulent and laminar flow by means of a simple functional equation.

An increase in secondary circulation brings decrease in circulation time which, in turn, contributes to a decrease
in mixing time. Nevertheless, the drive of an impeller requires a supply of defined energy depending on the structure of the
impeller, its geometrical parameters, rotation frequency and the physical-chemical properties of mixed liquid. Screw and
ribbon impellers as a class of close-clearance impellers, generally consume a lot of energy. Furthermore, due to their

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 International Journal of Advance Engineering and Research Development (IJAERD)
Special Issue SIEICON-2017, April -2017,e-ISSN: 2348 - 4470 , print-ISSN:2348-6406

purpose (for mixing of high viscous liquids) an increase in viscosity of liquid is connected with a linearly proportional
increase in the mixing power. The investigations concerning the measurements of the velocity components in
circumferential and axial directions, in the region of an impeller for ribbon impellers, in the laminar flow, were carried out.

III. CONCLUSION

The mixing of the two products like fluid-fluid, fluid-particles is needed in less time with better mixing quality by
the different streams. Different techniques discussed in literature review which was adopted by the various researchers.
The authors referred all the techniques and tried to find out best one to achieve the requirement, and believed that by using
the two shaft agitation system instead of one shaft agitation system increasing in mixing quality with minimum increase of
pressure in the reaction vessel.

IV. REFERENCES

[1] J. KARCZ and J. SZOPLIK “An Effect of the Eccentric Position of the Propeller Agitator on the Mixing Time”, PL-71
065, 1st April, 2003.
[2] Houari Ameur “Effect of the shaft eccentricity and rotational direction on the mixing Characteristics in cylindrical tank
reactors” CJCHE 564, 12th May, 2016.
[3] H.D. Zughbi, M.A. Rakib “Mixing in a Fluid jet agitated tank: effects of jet angle andelevation and number of jets”,
14th September, 2003.
[4] Jean-Philippe TORRÉ, David F. FLETCHER, Thierry LASUYE, Catherine XUEREB “CFD modelling of partially
baffled agitated vessels with free surfaces”, 5th International conference on CFD in the process industries, 13-15th
December, 2006.
[5] C. P. K. Dagadu1, Z. Stegowski2, B. J. A. Y. Sogbey1, S. Y. Adzaklo “Mixing Analysis in a Stirred Tank Using
Computational Fluid Dynamics”,637-642,17th June, 2015.
[6] Alessandro Tamburini, Andrea Cipollina, Franco Grisafi, Francesca Scargiali, Giorgio Micale, Alberto Brucato
“Comparison of Agitators Performance for Particle Suspension in Top-Covered Unbaffled Vessels”,vol.43,2015.
[7] Krzysztof SZULC “Optimization of geometry of helical ribbon impeller operating in the laminar flow of the liquid”,
255-258, Nr 3/2013.

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