Two-phase flow modeling of solid dissolution in liquid for nutrient mixing improvement in algal raceway ponds
Haider Ali
Dongda Zhang
Jonathan L. Wagner
Cheol Woo Park
2134/38382
https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/journal_contribution/Two-phase_flow_modeling_of_solid_dissolution_in_liquid_for_nutrient_mixing_improvement_in_algal_raceway_ponds/9245201
Achieving optimal nutrient concentrations is essential to increasing the biomass
productivity of algal raceway ponds. Nutrient mixing or distribution in raceway ponds is significantly
affected by hydrodynamic and geometric properties. The nutrient mixing in algal raceway ponds under
the influence of hydrodynamic and geometric properties of ponds is yet to be explored. Such a study is
required to ensure optimal nutrient concentrations in algal raceway ponds. A novel computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) model based on the Euler–Euler numerical scheme was developed to investigate
nutrient mixing in raceway ponds under the effects of hydrodynamic and geometric properties.
Nutrient mixing was investigated by estimating the dissolution of nutrients in raceway pond water.
Experimental and CFD results were compared and verified using solid–liquid mass transfer coefficient
and nutrient concentrations. Solid–liquid mass transfer coefficient, solid holdup, and nutrient
concentrations in algal pond were estimated with the effects of pond aspect ratios, water depths,
paddle wheel speeds, and particle sizes of nutrients. From the results, it was found that the proposed
CFD model effectively simulated nutrient mixing in raceway ponds. Nutrient mixing increased in
narrow and shallow raceway ponds due to effective solid–liquid mass transfer. High paddle wheel
speeds increased the dissolution rate of nutrients in raceway ponds.
2019-07-22 12:31:32
Raceway pond
Nutrients mixing
Solid–liquid dissolution
Mass transfer
Concentration
Chemical Engineering not elsewhere classified