CFD analysis for Chlorine Contact Tanks

Navier was delighted to receive an invitation from the Water Research Company (WRc) to present at one of their quarterly Disinfection Forums. The forum engages several water utilities based around the UK to address common issues and share best practices.

Navier was asked to give a presentation on the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model chlorine contact tanks (CCT’s).

Generally, CFD modelling has become the preferred method for verifying the performance of new-build contact tanks. When applied correctly CFD has shown excellent agreement with both lab scale and on-site tracer studies.

Example of poorly performing asset

But CFD can also provide benefits in improving existing assets and de-risking tank ‘change of use’ activities.

Example of contact tank retrofit modifications

Some of these benefits include:

• Evaluating hydraulic & mixing efficiency of potential retrofits;
• Characterising performance over complete operating envelope accounting for seasonal water supply variations;
• Assessing energy efficiency (OPEX) of proposed modifications.

The importance of assessing the energy efficiency of a proposed modification was highlighted when two concepts that performed similarly from a hydraulic perspective had a 20% delta in energy efficiency.

Optimising a chosen modification to ensure the maximum performance is yielded prior to installation was shown to also be a critical activity in the retrofit development process.

Optimising contact tank modifications

Need Help?
Contact Navier on +44(0)115 6979141 or info@navier-flow-consultants.com for a free initial consultation with one of our CFD experts and receive a competitive fixed price quotation, with zero obligation. Alternatively, if you’d like to learn more about how we structure a CFD project, browse our ‘How We Work’ page.