Analysis of internal fluid motion in an Archimedes screw using computational fluid mechanics

Two computational fluid dynamics models were developed to analyse the internal fluid mechanics of an Archimedes screw's buckets. The models were evaluated against laboratory-scale experimental data, which suggested that they were acceptably accurate. Results of power-generating torque, internal fluid velocities, wall shear stress, and leakage flow rates were all explored with respect to changing rotational speeds. It was found that increasing rotational speed while maintaining "full" screw buckets would produce: similar torque values (by extension: power increased), higher velocity magnitudes of fluid parcels in a bucket, less gap leakage flow rate, and higher wall shear stress rates (by extension: more frictional losses).