Numerical study on transport and deposition characteristics of particles associated with heat setting process in opposed jet flow field

The transport and deposition of particles accompanying the heat setting process in the opposed jet air supply system have a significant impact on the equipment safety. This paper used the Realizable k–ε model to simulate the flow field distribution of the impinging jet and the Lagrange method to track the trajectory of particles, by considering factors, such as jet velocity (7–13 m/s), oven temperature (413–473 K), and particle size (1–30 μm) changes, the instantaneous force process of particles was analyzed and their deposition mechanism was revealed. The numerical results have been well validated, with the root mean square error of within 10%. The results indicate that the flow field form of the opposed jet significantly affects particle placement on the surface of the air duct, the maximum turbulent vortex structure appears at the inlet of the air duct on both sides of the protruding nozzle, enhancing the capture of particles. Under the influence of gravity, the lower surface of the air duct becomes the main deposition surface, this phenomenon becomes more pronounced as the particle size increases and the maximum deposition rate difference between the upper and lower layers is 37%. The number of particles deposited on the rear end of the air duct is greater than that on the front end, and the deposition rate decreases with the increase in jet velocity. In the initial stage, a temperature gradient appeared in the machine room, which provided upward lift for the particles, resulting in more small diameter particles (dp < 10 μm) depositing on the upper surface of the air duct. The results can provide theoretical support for the fire prevention and pollutant purification of equipment, such as heat setting machines.