This work presents the completed results of an investigation comparing laboratory experiments with M-Star CFD predictions for heating in a jacketed agitated vessel. Building on preliminary findings, this study includes a more complete analysis of the experimental data, including a new statistical review, and incorporates a more detailed CFD model of the jacket-side heat transfer. Laboratory experiments measured heating times for 21 gallons of water in an 18.1-inch diameter, dimple-jacketed stainless steel vessel agitated by three distinct impellers: a narrow hydrofoil (A310), a Rushton turbine (R100), or a 4-bladed 45° pitched blade turbine (PBT, A200). Transient measurements of water temperature, oil temperatures, and oil flow rate were recorded.
These comprehensive experimental results are directly compared against M-Star CFD simulations employing the lattice Boltzmann Large Eddy Simulation (LES) solver. The simulations model transient flow and thermal fields in both process and jacket fluids, including the vessel wall, and utilize the generalized method for estimating convective heat transfer coefficients based on local conditions near the wall (Thomas et al., 2024). This direct comparison across different impeller types serves to experimentally assess the generality, validity, and capability of the CFD approach for predicting heating dynamics, moving beyond validation against empirical correlations alone. The comparison focuses on time-resolved temperature profiles and overall heating times, providing insight into the model's accuracy in capturing the impact of impeller selection.
Thomas, J. A., DeVincentis, B., Janz, E., & Turner, B. (2024). A general approach for predicting convective heat transfer coefficients in turbulent systems. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 220, 124989. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2023.124989