Numerical analysis and differential push‐flow structure optimization of vacuum disc drying process.

The drying characteristics of sludge in a uniaxial vacuum disc dryer are numerically studied in the present study, and the results showed that the drying process of sludge includes three stages: the viscous stage, the sticky stage, and the granular stage. The influence of main parameters such as sludge feeding rate, heat source temperature, and rotating speed of the shaft on the drying process of sludge in the uniaxial vacuum disc dryer is analyzed. In order to optimize the drying efficiency of the dryer, a differential push‐flow structure is proposed in this study, which provides different propulsion effects for the sludge in different drying stages. The differential push‐flow is achieved by changing the number and angle of the push‐flow blades on the discs. Compared with the dryer before optimization, the dryer with optimized differential push‐flow structure has better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]