Numerical study on draining from cylindrical tank using stepped drain port

An air-core vortex is generated during draining after stirring a rotating cylindrical tank or after filling it with water . The formation of the air-core vortex and the time of its formation are dependent on drain conditions such as the dimensions of the tank, the initial rotation or stirring speed, and the shape of the drain port. In this study, a draining process using a two-stage drain port was numerically investigated . The length and radius of the first drain stage located in the lower part of the drain port were kept constant, whereas the radius of the second drain stage was varied for simulating the draining process. The simulation was conducted by considering an axisymmetric swirling flow for all cases. The declining water level was monitored by an interface capturing method. Further, the effects of the radius of the second drain stage on the time of formation of the air-core vortex and the internal flow structure were investigated.