CFD Modelling of Free Surface and Entrainment of Buoyant Particles from Free Surface for Submerged Jet Systems

For a submerged jet, there are many design characteristics to explore
for better mixing of buoyant particles (BP). Industries are facing
difficulties in mixing of BP. Higher turbulence favors mixing [1], but
mixing of BP has always been an art. Submerged jet (SJ) or impinging
jet (IJ) is one of the ways to disperse BPs. For a SJ, modeling of free
surface is important when the jet is not deeply submerged (~ 10 mm)
in the liquid bath. In this research project, the free surface (surface
between air and liquid) for a SJ system in a cylindrical liquid bath and
entrainment of BPs has been studied with CFD analysis. The solution
parameters (velocity profile and center line velocity) are validated
against experimental LDV data generated. The use of 2D
axisymmetric geometries minimized the computational cost. To
overcome the computational burden of tracking individual particles,
the dispersion of particles/ turbulent fluctuations were determined by a
Particle Cloud Model [2].