Feasibility Study Of Funneling Vortex Reactor In Water Treatment

The traditional mixing equipments mainly have two different forms: hydraulic and mechanical. Funnel-shaped vortex reactor is a kind of new equipment that using hydraulic mixing for water treatment, which has been used and have a good effect in hot metal pretreatment of metallurgy. Since the density of hot metal is much greater than water and its high efficiency of mixing is also much difficulty than water, it is possible that the funnel vortex reactor could be used in the field of water treatment. Based on the optimal geometrical dimensions of the funnel vortex reactor that simulated by FLUENT before, the aim of this study is to improve the mixing efficiency of medicine with water and the efficiency of water treatment. The hydraulic characteristics and mixing effect of the funnel vortex reactor were colse studied. To study the reactor’s hydraulic flow distribution, NaCl was used as a tracer. Furthermore, the mixing and flocculation tests were used to further investigate the mixing effect, to determine the reactor’s flow distribution and to optimum hydraulic parameters of the reactor. The main research results of this paper are as follows:1. The funnel vortex reactor’s flow regime was between continuous flow and plug flow, and vacuum was existed in the reactor. The optimum hydraulic conditions are as follows: the series stages of the reactor were 2 ~ 3, and the empty space were 3% ~ 4%. The reactor’s hydraulic flow regime and space utilization were seriously affected by the inlet flow velocity. The reactor space utilization was poor, and water was not full of the reactor when the inlet flow velocity were 0.1m/s, 0.2m/s and 0.3m/s, respectively. But when the water flow velocity was changed to 0.4m/s, 0.5m/s and 0.6m/s, water was full of the reactor. Meanwhile,the reactor only needed to be controlled by the pump, then the energy consumption would decreased considerably.2. The formation of stable vortex by funnel vortex reactor could be obtained by means of the tangential inflow and height difference between inlet and outlet. The aditus laryngis could effectively enhance the backmixing, which making medicine rapid diffusion in water and fast evenly mixed with water. In mixing experiments, the medicine mixed with water had the worst effect when the water flow velocity was 0.1m/s. The other water velocity was better than the beaker test. Among them, when the water flow velocity was 0.4m/s, could effectively enhance the backmixing function and mixing effect were the best, and medicine could rapidly diffuse in water, which was advantageous to the downstream water treatment process. Additionally, the mixing effect was not affected by raw water quality, and water flow velocity was the unique influencing factor.3. Returning effluent to the reactor after mixing could prolong the hydraulic retention time in the reactor, and benefited to the mixture of agents and water. Furthermore, the flow velocity was decreased, and conducive to the flocculation in reaction. The best hydraulic conditions were as follows: the water flow velocity was 0.4m/s and 0.2m/s for reflux water velocity.4. Due to the merits of short hydraulic retention time and better mixing effect by funnel vortex reactor, which provided the precondition for downstream water treatment process. Since the better mixing effect, it is proper to set flocculation area out of the reactor. After rapid mixing of reagent and water, better performance of solid-liquid separation could be achieved. And the effluent turbidity of reactor was significantly less than the beaker test under the same hydraulic retention time.