Analysis of Flow Field in the KYF Flotation Cell by CFD

Abstract

The characteristics of flow field in the KYF-0.2 flotation cell are studied by CFD, and PIV test is also carried out to verify CFD simulation results. CFD simulation results show that there is a vortex near the slurry-ward surface of impeller blades in the direction against the rotation direction, there appears the maximum velocity which is higher than the speed at blade tips. Both PIV measuring results and CFD simulation results indicate that high velocity region appears near the exterior of stator blades,where the velocity value is about 1.5 m/s. Comparison between CFD and PIV show that there are good consistency in velocity change trend and velocity value.

Particle Image Velocimetry Study of the Turbulence Characteristics in an Aerated Flotation Cell

“…Their simulation results showed that a high velocity region appears near the stator blades. The PIV results were in good agreement with CFD prediction results . These results were used for the structural design of impellers for KYF flotation cells .…”

“…There are a few measurement techniques that have been employed to characterize turbulence in flotation cells. − These techniques may be divided into single-point and whole flow field methods. The single-point methods give the flow velocity at a given point in the flow field, whereas the whole flow field methods are able to provide the spatial distribution of the flow velocity over a large region of the flow field .…”

“…The single-point methods give the flow velocity at a given point in the flow field, whereas the whole flow field methods are able to provide the spatial distribution of the flow velocity over a large region of the flow field . The group of single-point techniques includes the optical fiber probe, hot wire anemometry (HWA), laser doppler anemometry (LDA), phase doppler anemometry (PDA), electrochemical probe, and piezoelectric vibration sensor (PVS). , The class of whole flow field techniques includes particle image velocimetry (PIV) and particle tracking velocimetry (PTV). , PIV has been extensively utilized to flow measurements in single and multiphase flow systems. ,,, With novel developments of camera and laser technology, as well as PIV software, the performance of the PIV systems has been improved for difficult flow measurements . In addition to the instantaneous measurement of the flow, high frequency lasers and high frame rate cameras opened the possibility for a time-resolved measurement of the flow …”

“…The turbulence properties in a standard tank (without rotor–stator mechanism) have received remarkable attention in different investigations. ,,− Only few studies are available on turbulence characteristics at the flotation cells with the rotor–stator mechanism, especially in the two-phase (water and air) flow systems. ,,, The general flow pattern and velocities in a flotation cell were investigated using a PIV method . Dong et al (2013) studied the single-phase flow pattern of the rotor–stator mechanism of a KYF (designed by BGRIMM company) flotation cell with different impeller angles by combining PIV measurements and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation.…”

“…17,18 PIV has been extensively utilized to flow measurements in single and multiphase flow systems. 10,15,20,21 With novel developments of camera and laser technology, as well as PIV software, the performance of the PIV systems has been improved for difficult flow measurements. 18 In addition to the instantaneous measurement of the flow, high frequency lasers and high frame rate cameras opened the possibility for a timeresolved measurement of the flow.…”