Large eddy simulation of flow fields in vessels stirred by dual rushton impeller agitators

Three typical hydrodynamic characteristics (parallel, merging and diverging flow) in a baffled vessel stirred by a dual Rushton impeller agitator are investigated by large eddy simulation (LES) using two subgrid scale (SGS) models: the standard and dynamic Smagorinsky-Lilly models applied with the commercial CFD code FLUENT 6. The agitator motion is modeled using the sliding mesh approach. The results are compared with experimental and simulated data from the literature. It is concluded both SGS models used for LES can reproduce the complicated flow in the stirred vessel, while there are no remarkable differences between the results obtained by two SGS models though the dynamical Smagorinsky-Lilly model needs about 17% additional computing time.