CFD Simulation of Effect of Interphase Forces and Turbulence Models on Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flows in Non-Industrial Aluminum Electrolysis Cells

Abstract

Numerical simulations of gas–liquid two-phase flows in aluminum electrolysis cells using the Euler–Euler approach were presented. The attempt was made to assess the performance and applicability of different interphase forces (drag, lift, wall lubrication, and turbulent dispersion forces) and turbulence models (standard k–ε, renormalization group k–ε, standard k–ω, shear stress transport k–ω, and Reynolds stress models). Moreover, three different bubble-induced turbulence models have been also analyzed. The simulated electrolyte velocity profiles were discussed by comparing with each other and against published experimental data. Based on the results of the validation of different interphase forces and turbulence models, a set consisting of the dispersed standard k–ε model, Grace drag coefficient model, Simonin turbulent dispersion force model, and Sato et al.’s bubble-induced effective viscosity model was found to provide the best agreement with the experimental data. The prediction results showed that the contributions of the lift force and the wall lubrication force can be neglected for the present bubbly flows.