关键词: 混合澄清槽, 计算流体力学, 搅拌

Abstract: Rare earths are important non-renewable strategic resources. They play an irreplaceable part in high-tech materials. Mixer-settler is one of the most widely used extraction facilities in the rare earth industry with the advantages such as stable operation，high stage-efficiency，simple structure and easy scale-up. In this paper，numerical models used in the simulation of mixer-settler are summarized and analyzed. Eulerian-Eulerian multiphase model，k-?? turbulent model and multiple reference frame model are widely used by researchers because of convenience，reliable accuracy and low performance requirements for computers. Pumping capacity，mixing performance，and clarifying characteristics of mixer-settler are considered，and the main factors influencing these performance parameters are summarized. Analyses show that researches on pumping capacity and mixing time are mature，but numerical studies on droplet coalescence and breakup，as well as clarifying method and improvements，are relatively weak. Creating high precision grids，adopting large eddy simulation method to provide a more detailed time-space information and introducing population balance model will be the next important research direction of mixer settler.

Key words: mixer-settler, computational fluid dynamics(CFD), stirring