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Numerical study of 3-D air core phenomenon during liquid draining

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Abstract

An air core is the vortex flow generated when rotating liquid in a tank drains into a narrow drain port. In various industrial areas, the air core often causes adverse effects, such as unwanted air entrainment or a reduced drain flow rate. The air core phenomenon has largely been simulated with a 2-D axisymmetric flow assumption. In this study, a 3-D numerical simulation of the liquid draining from a cylindrical tank was conducted. The results were compared with previous experimental and 2-D simulation results. Based on the present 3-D simulation results, as an air core generation mechanism, the interaction between the axially and circumferentially rotating vortex structures was suggested. Additionally, 3-D flow structures such as toroidal Taylor vortex rings and spiral waves on free surfaces, which could not be obtained in 2-D simulations, were successfully reproduced.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 702-701, Korea

    Jong Hyeon Son

  2. School of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, 702-701, Korea

    Chang Hyun Sohn & Il Seouk Park

Authors
  1. Jong Hyeon Son
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  2. Chang Hyun Sohn
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  3. Il Seouk Park
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Il Seouk Park.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Shin Hyung Rhee

Jong Hyeon Son received his M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Kyungpook National University in 2012. He is currently a Ph.D. student at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University in Daegu, Korea. His research interests are in the gas-liquid two-phase flows and Magnetohydrodynamics.

Chang Hyun Sohn received M.Sc. (Eng) and Ph.D. from KAIST. He worked in ADD for 3 years. He studied in Cambridge University as a visiting assistant professor from 1996 to 1997. He worked in Kyungpook National University as a professor since 1994. His research interests are CFD, PIV, Flow Induced Vibration and Thermal-hydraulics in Mechanical Engineering Field.

Il Seouk Park received his Ph.D. from KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology) in 2001 and now is an associate professor in the School of Mechanical Engineering, Kyungpook National University in South Korea. His recent interests are the phase-changing heat transfer and magneto-hydrodynamics.

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Son, J.H., Sohn, C.H. & Park, I.S. Numerical study of 3-D air core phenomenon during liquid draining. J Mech Sci Technol 29, 4247–4257 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-015-0921-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-015-0921-4

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