1. Design, CFD Modeling, and Development of Compact and Efficient Soil
Steam Fumigation System
J. Alderisio (ME), M. Lazicky (ME), J. Ursini (ME), and C. Wallace (ME),
Mentors: Prof. S. Etemad, Dr. B. Baird (PCI) and Dr. J. Weissman (PCI)
School of Engineering
Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
OBJECTIVES
• Design and Develop a cost effective fumigation device
• Optimize System Heat Loss and Pressure Drop
• Computational Fluid Dynamics model to simulate the
soil steam disinfestation
• Design a prototype drawing for fabrication
INTRODUCTION
• Farms utilizing methyl bromide to kill weeds and pests
• Methyl bromide: health and environmental risks
• Use Soil Steam Fumigation: Organic and Ecofriendly INFORMATION
•Optimized system performance
•Simulated soil fumigation process
•Created spar fabrication drawing
ANALYSIS
• Evaluated pressure drop and heat loss through the system
• Evaluated at different lengths and diameters
• Pressure drop decreased as heat loss increased:
• Selected optimum pipe diameters
CONCLUSIONS
FUTURE PLANS
•Implement CFD condensation model
•Implement CFD moving mesh to simulate spar dynamics
•Construct and test prototype
2015-16Supported by Precision Combustion Inc.
CFD RESULTS
HEAT LOSS VS PRESSURE
DROP RESULTS
• CFD used to simulate spar steam injection
• 2D modeling simulated the steam’s behavior in soil
and compared to experimental data
• 3D modeling identified the jet size and number of
jets for optimal performance
• Conducted Heat Loss and Pressure Drop Calculation
• Generated Soil Fumigation CFD Model:
• Created 2D axisymmetric and 3D CFD models
• Implemented porous media model
• Conducted transient simulation