CFD modelling and experimental investigation of bimodal slurry flow in horizontal pipeline and bends

Abstract

The effect of flow velocity in straight pipelines with horizontal bends having a pipe diameter 53 mm was experimentally investigated over silica sand and fly ash comprised bimodal slurry. Silica sand and fly ash at 80:20 ratios with solid concentration 8.82% by volume were taken for extensive experiments at flow velocity up to 3.56 m/s. Concentration samples are collected from mid-vertical plane at different cross sections in the downstream side of slurry pipe bend. The effect of the presence of fine particles in narrow sized coarse silica slurry through a 90° horizontal bend has been investigated. It is also observed that with increase in flow velocity, the pressure drop decreases. Uniform distribution of solid particles is observed just at the downstream flow of the bend except at bend outlet in case of higher flow velocity. CFD modelling is done using Eulerian two-phase model with realizable standard k–epsilon approach in ANSYS FLUENT 15 software. The predicted results for pressure drop and concentration distribution using CFD modelling have fairly correct resemblance with experimental data collected from pilot plant test loop.