Swirl Flow Technology (SFT), a novel approach for agitation in large industrial slurry tanks, was jointly developed and patented by CSIRO and Queensland Alumina Ltd (QAL). Currently, SFT is used in 16 alumina precipitation tanks at QAL, with the first installation in January 1997. This paper provides insight to the underlying fluid dynamics, which were investigated through pilot-scale experiments. A key finding was that SFT produces tank wall velocities approximately four times that of conventional draft tube agitator systems for the same power input, whilst for solids suspension, much less power is needed. SFT is energy efficient and practical in scaling suppression as demonstrated by the full-scale experience at QAL._x000D_
FORMAL CITATION:Wu, J, Nairn, D, Nguyen, B, Farrow, J and Stegink, D, 2011. Scale suppression using swirl flow technology, in Proceedings MetPlant 2011, pp 515-526 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).