Effect of interphase lift force on fluid flow in air stirred cylindrical vessel

In the present paper, based on the two-phase model (Eulerian model), the tw o-dimensional fluid flow in air stirred water systems is simulated, and the effect of interphase lift force on the fluid flow is specially discussed. In the Eulerian two-phase model, the gas and liquid phases are considered t o be two different continuous fluids interacting with each other through th e finite interphase areas. The exchange between the phases is represented b y source terms in conservation equations. Turbulence is assumed to be a pro perty of the liquid phase. The k-epsilon model is used to describe the beha viour of the liquid phase. The dispersion of phases due to turbulence is re presented by introducing a diffusion term into the mass conservation equati on. The contribution of bubble movement to the turbulent energy and its dis sipation rate are taken into account by adding extra volumetric source term s to the equations of turbulent energy and its dissipation rate. Comparison between the mathematical simulation and experimental data indicates that t he interphase lift force has a strong effect on flow behaviour, and conside ring both drag force and lift force as interphase forces is important to ac curately simulate the gas-water two-phase fluid flow in air stirred systems . The interphase lift force makes bubbles move away from the centreline; th e gas concentration decreases near the centreline, and increases near the w all. The lift force is smaller than the drag force at the same place, espec ially far away from the centreline.