Direct prediction of the flows induced by a propeller in an agitated vessel using an unstructured mesh

The direct simulation of impellers with complex geometrical shapes has not yet been presented. The unstructured mesh with a multiple reference frame approach has to be used to model the system with complete fidelity. The ability of a new CFD unstructured package is investigated in a cylindrical baffled tank stirred by an industrial LUMPP LB propeller in turbulent flow. Different positions of the blade relative to the side‐wall baffles have been computed to study the time‐dependent flow fields. The computational results compared favourably with experimental LDA data, with pumping number and power number, but a great care should be put on the mesh quality since results are extremely sensitive. It is concluded that the multiple reference frame approach is suitable to design impeller optimized for a given application.