PROPER AGITATION DICTATES QUENCH SUCCESS Part 2 This primer on the use of quantitative methods will assist with . the design of optimal quench agitation. By KS. Lally GE. Totten This isthe final article in a two-part series on quenchant agitation. The num- bers for figures, equations and tables are continied from the previous feature, | which ran in September 1992, fer revewing cent sacs BEET oa on ok ining pineal ast in the delet Foptinal agtaon The power (P) delivered by the mane Ecomproed of te ow et | ‘or pumping capacity (Q) of the mixer sone velo Rena Equation 2 P=QxH Performance of impellers ina draft | tube may be compared with a con- ventional pump operation. For both systems, the volume of flow deliv- | ered is dependent on the resisting head. A typical head-flow capacity curve is shown in Figure 9a. This curve was developed by plotting head as a function of flow. The re- gion of instability when the curve flattens out will result ina stall con- dition. System design should always result in selection of an operating point to the right of this position ‘Asseries of system resistance curves are shown in Figure 9b. System re- sistance (K,) is defined by the fol- lowing equation: Equation 3 K, = 2gH/V,t 4g = acceleration due to gravity Hi = system head V., = velocity through the draft- tube K, = system resistance constant, a function of system geometry The head-flow and system resis tance curves are then superimposed (Figure 9). The objective is to select an impeller for which the system curve will intersect the head-flow capacity curve without creating a stall-condition. An appropriate value of K, can be determined empirically for & given geometry, which—to- | gether with process flow and head | Draft-Tube impel | | System Characteristics | ‘covtage es es | (eS oe Direction ot ‘us tow | krecmmmnea naan can nd Tame Draft-Tube Impellers Performance Curves Ky=5.0 Ky=5.0 k\=30 ae 1 ' ! 3 3 i K=10 y Flow “> a Flow > Flow crate ipater b.syeiem natn cunea ¢.Drat ube npr mae ea tow eae cus Spann ps [Atypical Read-low capacity curve Is shown a ay a series of system resistance curves are shown in 9b; the head-Tlow ana system resistance curves are superimposed in 9c.oo requirements—will establish the appropriate mixer design. Figure 10 illustrates an application of the use of these curves for a pitched-blade axial-low impeller and anairfoil impeller. The slope of the curve represents the impeller's capacity for resisting changes in the system head. This figure shows that the pumping capacity for the airfoil impeller is reduced 30 percent when the K, is increased from 1 to 5. Un- der similar conditions, the axial flow turbine impeller exhibits a 35 per- cent decrease in pumping capacity; therefore, at high system resistance, the airfoil impeller produces nearly 16 percent greater head. The advan- tages of an airfoil impeller follow: + higher head capacity + steeper head-flow curve + more resistance to stall + greater operating efficiency Figure 11 shows that total system head should be minimized in order to maximize flow developed by the impeller. While it is not practical to change most of the characteristics of the quench tank system, the draft- tube can often be tailored to mini- mize the head losses. For example, the lack of an entrance flare and in- sufficient liquid coverage can de- crease the flow rate by 20 percent: Calculate Flow Volume Quenching is a flow-controlled mixing operation, and different im- peller types give different values of Flow volume per unit power. There- fore, the potver-per-unit-volume mixer-sizing approach is only appli cable to one impeller type at one operating speed. Flow rate per unit ower can Be aiulated rom Equa fion 6, which is derived from the equations for flow (4) and power (5) shown below Equation 4 Q=N.ND? Equation 5 P=N,pN'D* Equation 6 Q/P = (No/N,)1/PN'D) D = impeller diameter N = impeller speed jimensionless power number Ni = dimensionless flow number WEAT TREATING / OCTOBER 1952 | p = fluid Density The dimensionless flow number N, characterizes the flow producing, capability of the impeller. The di- mensionless power number N, char acterizes the power consumption ‘characteristics of the impeller. Equa- tion 6 shows that the relative flow per unit of power is dependent on the impeller type, the installation ge- ‘ometry, speed and diameter. Equation 6 does not completely specify the mixer since there are other significant design elements such as torque that are imposed on the mixer. ‘The relationship of torque (T) to the parameters shown in Equation 6 are given in the following equation Equation 7 T , NED! Capital cost of the complete mixer is strongly dependent on torque and, therefore, must be examined as rig- orously as low and power. Anillus- trative comparison of flow per unit power (Q/P) and torque as a func- tion of impeller diameter is shown in Figure 12. ‘Comparison of the speed and di- ameter options for more than one type of impeller is a more complex problem. For flow-controlled pro- cesses, such as quenching, its prob- ably best to compare the different ‘mixing parameters at constant flow and mixer speed. This case is repre- sented by the following equation Equation 8 Q/P = ONS) NINQ) At a constant flow and impeller speed the flow volume per unit power is expressed in this equation: Equation 9 QP aN, Application of Equation 9 requires that the value of Ny and N, be known. These values can be either experimentally determined or ob- tained from the mixer supplier. The power number is obtained by measuring the mixer torque and speed on amixer dynamometer, The Figure 10 Head-Flow Capacity Curves ‘The pumping capacity forthe airfoil Impeller is reduced 30 percent when the ‘Av is increased from 1 to 5; the axial ‘conditions, Effect of System Resistance on Flow 7 5} constant power s|- af fe of ave ‘The foal system head should be minimized inorder t ize tlow ‘developed by the im drat ‘can oftan be tailored 10 minimize the losses. power is calculated by dividing the ‘dynamometer torque by speed. The power number is then calculated from Equation 5. Measurement of the impeller flow number (N,) is more difficult. Flow ‘measurement methods such as streak photography, Pitot-static tubes and hot-wire anemometers have been described by Oldshue’ In addition to being time consum-Agitation impacts the cooling rates of all major liquid quenchants a ESE ing and difficult to use, their pres- | transfer of the parts in the quench | erly placed multiple mixers, the com- ence affects the flow pattern. Cur- | zone, it is desirable to design 2 bined effects of tank comers and in rently the laser Doppler velocimeter | quench system that will have mini- | terference between mixer flow pat- (LDV) is the preferred method for | mal fluid flow velocity variation | terns generally eliminate the need flow measurement. In view of the | throughout the total quench zone. | for baffles. relative difficulty in measuring the | This often requires the use of mul- | Vertical cylindrical tanks with top- flow number of an impeller system, | tiple mixers entering mixers usea standard baffle itis recommended that these values | Although there are no simple | configuration as shown in Figure 14 beobtained from the mixer supplier. | quantitative techniques to predict | Side-entering mixers generally do TableS provides the flow numbers | whether multiple agitators are nec- | not require baffles due to the asym- and power numbers for a repre- | essary or to determine their best | metric flow pattern. Draft tubes re- sentative marine and airfoil impel- | placementinatank,anumber ofgen- | quire internal bafle o flow straight- ler. It is important to note that the | ral rules that have been developed | ening vanes as shown in Figure 8. change in flow number and, there- | from experience can be followed fore, flow rates will affect the flow | For example, in cylindrical orrect- | Cavitation per unit power when the impellers | angular tanks in which the length to | Cavitation oceurs when the pump- are used in a draft tube. Impellers | width ratio is less than 21, a single | ing action of the impeller creates lo- operating ina draft-tubedevelopless | properly designed mixer is usually | calized zones of relatively low pres- flow for the same power consump- | sufficient. However, if the length to | sure. If this pressure is below the tion but have the advantage of direc- | width ratio is greater than 2:1, then | vapor pressure of the liquid at the tional flow contro. multiple mixers are recommended. | fluid temperature, then vaporization Figure 13 shows possible multiple | may occur, leading to erosion of the Draft-Tube Mixer Selection draft-tube and side-entry mixer ar- | impeller and unstable operating per- A common mistake in the selec- | rangements for rectangular tanks | formance. Properly designed impel- tion of draft-tube mixers is the use | when the length to width ratio ex- | lers, whether in a open or draft-tube of flow numbers reported for open | ceeds 2:1.(Top-entering mixers may | configuration, will not undergo cavi- impellers. Draft-tube mixers will | be arranged differently.) {ation. Therefore, it is essential that be undersized ifthe mixer manufac- | To size a mixer in a multiple ar- | proper design criteria be followed if turer has not adequately defined | rangement, itis first necessary to | cavitation isto be avoided. The user the draft-tube flow number, which | determine the total power require- | should contact his mixer supplier if should be used for calculation and | ment based on the tank volume us- | cavitation problemsare encountered will result in the selection of a sig- | ing Table 2. The impeller sizing for | Computational fluid dynamics nificantly larger mixer. The values | each mixeris determined from Table | (CFD) may provide greater under- shown in Table 1 are given for a | 3, and the power per mixer is deter- | standing of the details of fluid flow typical draft tube. Because the draft-| mined from the following equation {ube flow number varies considera- Equation 10 Fowet bly with the length and geometry of in the system, it is essential that the | Power _ __ Total Pow power Requlrernen: draft-tube flow number (and there | Mixer ~ Number of Mixers ie to Torque fore K,) be properly determined. Mixer manufacturers should be able Tank Baffles su to demonstrate that the drafttube | Tank baffles eliminate vortexing flow number has been properly de. | and convert swirl motion toa more | |_ +59 termined upon request. productive top to bottom fluid mo- | eee Mea etic ecto nis wath noes 125 Tale Draft-Tube impel! Flow Numbers, Power a ‘Typical Dratt-Tube Open impelier Kad A Ratave Feiatve (ree Nor 50 Marine Propler OMG 03540 ~—0ad OMe {Slide 1.0 teh ti) ore a4 seq biotype ose om) 147 oss | | System resistance K, (Ugntin A312) | ‘change now number and, therefore, low rates will affect the low per unit power when Flow per unit power and lorque are @ the impellers are used in a draft tobe. function of imoeller diameter.in the quench tank and possibly pro- vide greater insights for determin- ing the optimal location and orienta- tion of a part in the quench zone. Predictions of the quench tank flow field have been made using Fluent, a commercially available computa- tional fluid dynamics computer program from Fluent Inc. of Leba- non, New Hampshire. This program Fire 13 Dratt-Tube Mix: Placement > ee ‘Multiple daf-tube and side-entry mi arrangements for rectangular tanks when the length to width ratio exceeds 2 ratio of 2a Fire 1 Baffle Dimensions Battle wicth m2 Batfe-wal clearance 1/96 T ‘This isthe standard bale configuration for vertical cylindrical tanks with open- Impeer mixers. NEAT TREATING OCTOBER 1992 ce cena a. Vectors in X-Z axis Figure 15 3-Dimensional Flow Field Vectors in ¥-Z axis shows te flow vectors throughout the tank. solves the discretized Navier-Stokes equations using a control-volume- based finite-difference technique Conservation of mass and momen- tum are solved for steady time aver- aged turbulent flow in three dimen- sional coordinates. Fluid Flow Mode! An example of the use of CFD to ‘model fluid flow in a simple quench tank configuration with a single draft-tube is shown in Figure 15. The flow field around the drait-tube near the impeller was measured experi mentally using a laser Doppler ve- locimeter, and that data was input into the CFD program, which caleu- lates the three-dimensional flow pat tem in the quench tank. {In Figure 15, the general flow pat- tem sweeps across the bottom of the tank from left to right with a rota tional element to the flow around the axis of the general flow pattern The results also show relatively quiet zones exist near the corners of the tank except where the draft tube is located. FD can be similarly applied to calculate the flow velocity vectors around actual parts when immersed in the quench tank. Fluid dynamics have shown excellent agreement with measured data;* therefore, this technique should be an invaluable aid in understanding the impact of | Computational tuid dynamics used to predict the 3-dimensional flow field ofa quench tank agitation on heat transfer of actual quench systems in future work. Agitation exhibits a substantial impact on the cooling rates of all of the major liquid quenchant media— oil, water, and aqueous polymers. In quenching applications, uniform and directional flow in the quench zone is critically important. This is usually done with the use of draft- tube impeller agitation, Quantitative methods assist in the design of ‘optimal agitation, and computational fluid dynamics has potential use for future quench tank agitation design. (7) KS. Lally is the research and develop ‘mentmanager of Lightnin, aunitof Gene ‘lSignal in Rochester, NY. GE. Totten s 4 research scientist for Union Carbide Chemicals and Plastics Co, In. in Tary= town, NY. ETT Sin ng Tome Mem ‘Stan Ao wet org a