Numerical Simulation On Flow Process Of Oil Separation And Recovery Device From Oil-contaminated Seawater By MHD Method

MHD separation and recovery from oil-contaminated seawater is based on thedifference of electric conductivity and density between seawater and oil. The oil isseparated and collected from the contaminated seawater, as an electromagnetic forceexists in seawater rather than in oil, when an electrical field and magnetic field aresupplied. MHD method has the following advantages: no philo-oil materials dropped intothe sea;lower water contained and simple retreatment to the recovered oil, so lessnegative effect on the environment. It is possible to supply a new method for protectingsea environment and saving energy to study MHD oil separation and recovery. This paper described the principle of MHD separation and recovery technology fromthe oil-contaminated seawater, analyzed the present situation of this technology indomestic and foreign countries. Aiming at two patterns of oil-contaminated seawaterflow: stratified flow and mixed flow, the mathematical model coupled theelectromagnetic field with the flow field was established in this paper.For the stratified flow, VOF method was introduced to simulate oil separation andrecovery process from oil-contaminated seawater by MHD method and analyze thevariation of the free interface in the MHD channel flow. At the same time several factorsrelated to the free interface of flow were discussed. The comparison of the simulationresults with the experimental data proved that they were in good agreement.Then, the numerical simulation of oil separation and recovery process fromoil-contaminated seawater by MHD method in dispersed flow pattern. When the flowdirection of seawater is perpendicular to the electromagnetic force, the paper analyzed thevariation of seawater flow process and discussed the influence of the electromagneticforce on flow process and separation ratio. It is concluded that the ratio between theelectromagnetic force and the inertial force is a decisive factor to the oil-water separationby MHD method. At last the paper comprehensively summarized the results and putforward some related problems needed to be studied deeply in future.