Análise de desempenho de chicanas para tanques agitados: uma abordagem via fluidodinâmica computacional (CFD)

Abstract

This work presents a CFD approach for the performance analysis of baffles with different geometries in stirred tanks, used in the pharmaceutical industry. The main objective is to develop and optimize baffle geometric models, improving mixing efficiency and minimizing energy consumption in upgrading processes. Using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technique in the STAR-CCM+ software, different baffle configurations were simulated and compared with traditional baffles, such as the Beavertail and Fin geometries. The adopted methodology includes the modeling of geometries in Computer Aided Design (CAD), the generation of refined computational meshes and the application of boundary conditions to analyze the flow behavior. Variables such as power number, velocity profiles, turbulent kinetic energy and energy dissipation were evaluated. The results found demonstrate that the new geometries, W-Baffle, WT-Baffle and especially the WTC-Baffle, provide significant gains in terms of energy efficiency and mixing homogeneity, representing an improvement over conventional models. These innovations can contribute to more efficient and sustainable industrial processes in pharmaceutical production.