Performance of Self-ingesting Impeller for High Density Liquid System

Abstract

In order to study the effect of density of working fluid on air inducing characteristics of self-inducing impeller, sodium chloride solutions in water at different concentrations in the range of 0 to 10 % (by weight), was used. A conventional mechanically agitated vessel was converted into an air-inducing reactor by attaching a specially designed tube-bundle, fabricated using L-shaped stainless tubes, to the impeller shaft. The effects of stagnation height, impeller speed and concentration of working fluid on critical speed for gas induction, gas holdup and power requirement for air-induction were observed. The density of water was increased by increasing the concentration of sodium chloride which increased the bulk density of the working fluid during gas induction. It was observed that the increase in density lead to slight increase, then a slight decrease in rate of gas induction and hence the gas holdup.