Multi-Species Slurry Pipeline Transportation

管道系统广泛应用于运输行业。例如，煤炭、铁矿石、精矿、尾矿、污水污泥和核废料的运输。在许多这些应用中，输送的浆料是复杂的多种类混合物。在过去，大多数的理论和实验研究只涉及单组分浆料，如砂或煤-水混合物，很少有人知道多物种浆料。基于单组分浆体研究的管道系统的设计导致安全和效率的实质性限制。因此，有一个显着的需要，研究多品种浆体输送，以建立一个更好的管道系统设计在未来的科学依据。建议在实验室规模的流动回路和数值模拟中，使用商用求解器以及开发新的计算机代码来研究多物种浆料输送。研究中将使用两种和三种组分的泥浆，重点研究泥浆组分密度对输送特性的影响。在研究1.2至5.0范围内的较重与较轻材料的密度比时，玻璃颗粒、沙子、氧化铝和氧化镍等材料将构成浆料组分。将测试50 m至500 m范围内的不同粒度的浆料组分和浆料中不同的相对组分浓度。此外，我们将研究每种浆料配方的固体浓度（按体积计）在5%至40%的范围内。将建造一个用于泥浆输送实验的流动回路。将通过用清水进行实验来校准流量回路及其仪器。接下来，将进行流动回路中的浆料输送实验。重要的工程参数，如临界沉积速度和压降与流速将感兴趣。与不同的流态相关联的流型将通过使用流动可视化技术，如粒子图像测速（PIV）检查。雷诺数范围从500到100000将被认为涵盖层流、过渡流和湍流状态。临界沉积速度将通过颗粒沉降的视觉观察和压降与平均流速曲线上的转折点来确定。将对正在研究的泥浆进行流变学研究。建立合理的多组分浆体流动数值模型。实验数据将用于改进数值模型。改进后的模型将用于参数研究，以获得有关固体密度，颗粒尺寸和固体浓度对浆料传输特性的影响的详细信息。此外，我们将研究重新悬浮现象，探讨管道重启的可行性和特点。泥浆将被允许在回路中完全沉降，然后平均泥浆速度将逐渐增加，直到沉降床完全removed.Correlations和数值模型，从这项研究中获得的将是有用的，在设计下一代管道系统的多品种泥浆输送。该研究还将有助于提高对与多相流相关的物理现象的基本理解。该奖项是根据运输行业工程探索性研究（ETI）计划征集而颁发的。

Pipeline systems are widely used in transportation industries. Examples are transportation of coal, iron ore, mineral concentrates, ore tailings, sewage sludge, and nuclear waste. In many of these applications, transported slurries are complex multi-species mixtures. In the past, most of the theoretical and experimental studies dealt with only single-component slurries such as sand- or coal-water mixtures; little is known about multi-species slurries. The design of pipeline systems based on the studies of single-component slurries causes substantial limitation of safety and efficiency. Thus, there is a significant need to study multi-species slurry transportation in order to build a scientific basis for better pipeline system design in the future. It is proposed to study multi-species slurry transportation both experimentally in the lab-scale flow loop and numerically, using commercially available solvers as well as developing new computer codes. Both two- and three-component slurries will be used in the study to focus research on the effects of slurry component density on transport characteristics. Materials such as glass particles, sand, aluminum oxide, and nickel oxide will comprise slurry components in studying density ratios of heavier to lighter material in the range of 1.2 to 5.0. Different particle sizes of slurry components in the range of 50m to 500m and different relative component concentrations in the slurry will be tested. In addition, we will study solids concentrations in the range of 5% to 40% by volume for each slurry recipe. A flow loop for slurry transport experiments will be constructed. The flow loop and its instrumentation will be calibrated by performing experiments with clear water. Next, slurry transport experiments in the flow loop will be performed. Important engineering parameters such as critical deposition velocity and pressure drop versus flow velocity will be of interest. Flow patterns associated with different flow regimes will be examined by using flow visualization techniques such as Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). A wide range of Reynolds numbers from 500 to 100000 will be considered to cover laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow regimes. Critical deposition velocity will be determined by visual observations of particle settling and from the turn point on the pressure drop versus mean flow velocity curve. Rheology studies of slurries under investigation will be performed. A reasonable numerical model of multi-species slurry flow will be developed. Experimental data will be used to improve numerical model. Improved model will then be used for parametric study to obtain detailed information about the effects of solids densities, particle sizes, and solids concentrations on slurry transport characteristics. In addition, we will study re-suspension phenomenon to investigate pipeline restart feasibility and characteristics. Slurry will be allowed to fully settle in the loop and then mean slurry velocity will be increased gradually until the settled bed is completely removed.Correlations and numerical models obtained from this research will be useful in designing next-generation pipeline systems for multi-species slurry transportation. The study will also contribute to the improved fundamental understanding of physical phenomena associated with multi-phase flows.This award is made under the Exploratory Research on Engineering the Transport Industries (ETI) program solicitation.