Solids velocity fluctuations in concentrated slurries

Abstract

Abstract Experiments were performed in a 265 mm diameter pipe loop with sand‐in‐water slurries (d 50 = 0.371 mm). In situ solids volumetric concentrations ranging from 20–40 % by volume (0.20–0.45 L/L) and mixture velocities up to 6 m/s were tested. Measurements of the instantaneous and average solids velocity and turbulent intensity profiles across the centreline diameter of the pipe were obtained using a particle velocity probe. A CFD package, ANSYS CFX 14, was used to perform numerical simulations. Solids turbulent intensities were found to be greater near the bottom of the pipe where solids concentrations are typically higher and significant particle‐pipe wall interactions occur. The agreement between the numerical results and the experimental data was found to be concentration dependent, with relatively closer agreement at lower concentrations.