Modelling vertical concentration distributions of solids suspended in turbulent visco-plastic fluid

Abstract

Vertical concentration distributions of solids conveyed in Newtonian fluids can be modelled using Rouse-Schmidt type distributions. Observations of solids conveyed in turbulent low Reynolds number visco-plastic carriers, suggest that solids are more readily suspended than their Newtonian counterparts, producing higher concentrations in the centre of the pipe. A Newtonian concentration profile model was adapted to include typical turbulent viscosity distributions within the pipe and particle motion calculated using non-Newtonian sheared settling. Predictions from this and the unmodified model, using the same wall viscosity, are compared with the chord averaged profile extracted from tomographic data obtained using a 50 mm horizontal pipe.

Keywords

• complex slurry flow
• non-newtonian flow
• solids distribution
• pipe flow
• particle settling
• laboratory experiment