Simulation of Multiphase Turbulent Fluid Flow Through an Electrolytic Cell

Authors

Roald Akberov, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Valery Ponyavin, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Yitung Chen, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Hsuan-Tsung Hsieh, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow
Darrell W. Pepper, University of Nevada, Las VegasFollow

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

11-15-2003

Publication Title

ASME 2003 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition: Fluids Engineering

Publisher

ASME

First page number:

337

Last page number:

344

Abstract

A Finite Volume Method was applied to a two-dimensional model for multiphase turbulent fluid flow inside an electrolytic cell. The model is based on solving the momentum equations for the single continuous liquid phase. In the model, solid particles and hydrogen gas bubbles are treated as inert spherical particles. Once the momentum equations are solved, trajectories of the particles can be calculated by integrating the force balance on the particle, which can be expressed in a Lagrangian reference frame. Turbulence is modeled via utilizing the standard k-ε model. The paper also discusses the computational meshes, which can be used for the simulation. It is shown that usage of the boundary layer type elements decreases the total number of computational nodes while maintaining the same accuracy in calculation. It is also shown that minute changes in the geometry of the cell, such as an increase in the thickness of the plate, results in obtaining more favorable flow patterns for taking solid particles away from the electrolytic cell.

Keywords

Computer simulation; Electrolytic cells; Fluid dynamics; Mathematical models; Multiphase flow; Turbulence

Disciplines

Complex Fluids | Heat Transfer, Combustion | Mechanical Engineering | Oil, Gas, and Energy

Language

English

Comments

Conference held: Washington, DC, USA, November 15–21, 2003

Permissions

Use Find in Your Library, contact the author, or interlibrary loan to garner a copy of the item. Publisher policy does not allow archiving the final published version. If a post-print (author's peer-reviewed manuscript) is allowed and available, or publisher policy changes, the item will be deposited.

Repository Citation

Akberov, R., Ponyavin, V., Chen, Y., Hsieh, H., Pepper, D. W. (2003). Simulation of Multiphase Turbulent Fluid Flow Through an Electrolytic Cell. ASME 2003 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition: Fluids Engineering 337-344. ASME.