The Application of Submerged Jets to the Mixing of Slurries

The ongoing cleanup effort at various DOE radioactive waste storage sites heavily relies on submerged jets during the mobilization and mixing phase of the settled sludges. Mobilization and mixing of the waste is a prerequisite for retrieval and transport to separation and processing facilities. The present study attempts to provide an insight into the flow conditions existing during the deployment of submerged jets to create uniform slurry conditions. Simulations that emulate the rheological characteristics of the waste mixture during mobilization are carried out. A particular attention is paid to how a non-Newtonian rheology affects the growth rate and mixing ability of the submerged jets.