Working Out Shaft Torque in a Stirred Tank with a Cylindrical Shape

AI Thread Summary
In a stirred tank with non-Newtonian fluids, a cylindrical cavern can form around the impeller, leading to a complex torque calculation. The total torque, Γ, is derived from a force balance involving shear stress and yield stress, with the equation including two terms. The first term is correctly calculated, but the second term is causing confusion, as the user is obtaining D^2/4 instead of the expected D^2/6. The discussion suggests considering the flat surface as concentric ring zones, each contributing differently to the total torque based on shear area and radial distance. Clarification on the second term's derivation is sought to resolve the discrepancy.
Tom Hardy
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Here is some background to the problem (in a stirred tank):

"With yield stress non-Newtonian (viscoplastic) fluids, it is possible to generate an agitated volume around the impeller, defined as a cavern, surrounded by a stagnant region where the shear stress is insufficient to overcome the apparent yield stress of the fluid."

Sometimes you can get a cylindrical cavern around the impeller, see the below image.

YeL2m.png


"By performing a force balance between the applied torque, Γ and the shear stress acting on the surface of a cylinder, we can define the boundary by setting the shear stress equal to the yield stress τ = τY. The total torque is given by:
$$\Gamma = \frac{\pi}{2} \tau_{y}H_{C}D_{C}^2+\frac{\pi}{6}\tau_{y}D_{C}^3$$

I just can't get the second term. The first term I can get by doing:
$$\Gamma_{1}=\tau_y \cdot Area_{Curved} \cdot \frac{D}{2} = \pi \cdot \frac{D^2}{2} \cdot H_{c} \cdot \tau_{y}$$

This gets me the first term...but the second term I just can't get, this is what I'm doing:

$$\Gamma_{2}=\tau_{y} \cdot Area_{Faces} \cdot \frac{D}{2} =\tau_{y} \cdot 2 \pi \cdot \frac{D^2}{4} \cdot \frac{D}{2} = \tau_{y} \cdot \pi \cdot \frac{D^3}{4} $$

Argh, so I'm getting D^2/4 instead of D^2/6 for the second term and I just can't work it out, if anyone can help I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
 
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Consider the flat surface as a series of concentric ring zones . Each zone has a different shear area and a different radial distance from axis . Total torque is worked out by summing the individual torque contributions from each zone .
 
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