An Experimental Technique for the Analysis of Slug Flows in Pneumatic Pipelines Using Pressure Measurements

An experimental technique has been developed to measure the flow characteristics of slugs in dense phase pneumatic conveying using pressure measurements. This method is based on the unique characteristics of slug flows in pipes, i.e., an axial pressure fluctuation along the pipeline and a pressure difference in the radial direction at the back of a slug. Standard differential pressure transducers were used in this study and the influence of the finite response time of these transducers was considered. Experiments were conducted over a range of gas-solids flow conditions and experimental data were analyzed to describe the behavior of solids slugs through pipes. The calculated slug velocity and length using axial pressure measurements were confirmed by video recordings, and the synthesis between axial and radial pressure signals showed reasonable agreement in flow pattern analysis. This relatively simple measuring technique has been found effective in detecting solids slugs traveling through horizontal pipes and will distinguish various flow regimes. It provides a useful and easily applied tool for system optimizing and benchmarking in industrial applications.     

An Experimental Technique for the Analysis of Slug Flows in Pneumatic Pipelines Using Pressure Measurements

An experimental technique has been developed to measure the flow characteristics of slugs in dense phase pneumatic conveying using pressure measurements. This method is based on the unique characteristics of slug flows in pipes, i.e., an axial pressure fluctuation along the pipeline and a pressure difference in the radial direction at the back of a slug. Standard differential pressure transducers were used in this study and the influence of the finite response time of these transducers was considered. Experiments were conducted over a range of gas-solids flow conditions and experimental data were analyzed to describe the behavior of solids slugs through pipes. The calculated slug velocity and length using axial pressure measurements were confirmed by video recordings, and the synthesis between axial and radial pressure signals showed reasonable agreement in flow pattern analysis. This relatively simple measuring technique has been found effective in detecting solids slugs traveling through horizontal pipes and will distinguish various flow regimes. It provides a useful and easily applied tool for system optimizing and benchmarking in industrial applications.     

Nonintrusive Monitoring of Slug Sequence and Flow Stability in Dense-Phase Pneumatic Conveying

This article presents three sensing methods developed for the nonintrusive monitoring of important flow parameters in dense-phase pneumatic conveying. With the optical measurement system, images of the flow are acquired and an image analysis is used to determine the sequence, length, and velocity of slugs for given materials and operating conditions. The conveying parameters of interest are also monitored with a capacitive sensor by means of exploiting electrical properties of the flowing media. The charge-based measurement system uses a field meter to determine the electric field strength caused by charged particles and provides information about the sequence and regularity of the moving slugs. The noninvasive principle of all three methods avoids concerns about particle contact effects (e.g., wear of the measurement equipment or interference with the flow). All three prototype sensors have been tested under slug flow conditions. A comparison of the three sensing methods against key requirements in pneumatic conveying reveals that capacitive sensing seems to be best suited for reliable flow determination in slug flow.     

Nonintrusive Monitoring of Slug Sequence and Flow Stability in Dense-Phase Pneumatic Conveying

This article presents three sensing methods developed for the nonintrusive monitoring of important flow parameters in dense-phase pneumatic conveying. With the optical measurement system, images of the flow are acquired and an image analysis is used to determine the sequence, length, and velocity of slugs for given materials and operating conditions. The conveying parameters of interest are also monitored with a capacitive sensor by means of exploiting electrical properties of the flowing media. The charge-based measurement system uses a field meter to determine the electric field strength caused by charged particles and provides information about the sequence and regularity of the moving slugs. The noninvasive principle of all three methods avoids concerns about particle contact effects (e.g., wear of the measurement equipment or interference with the flow). All three prototype sensors have been tested under slug flow conditions. A comparison of the three sensing methods against key requirements in pneumatic conveying reveals that capacitive sensing seems to be best suited for reliable flow determination in slug flow.     

Stress-Field Modeling and Pressure Drop Prediction for Slug-Flow Pneumatic Conveying in an Aerated Radial Stress Chamber

Slug-flow pneumatic conveying is a full-bore mode of flow within the dense-phase flow regime where bulk materials are transported in the form of slugs at conveying speeds below saltation velocity. The mechanism of slug-flow pneumatic conveying consists of the particles being picked up from the stationary bed in front of a moving slug while the same amount of material is deposited behind the slug. Stress field modeling of the material slug is the first step in developing a prediction model for the pressure drop along a pneumatic conveying line. However, a reliable prediction strongly relies on an accurate assessment of several factors, including the particle properties, pipeline dimensions, and operating conditions. So far, the particle diameter has always been one of the crucial parameters, which is not desirable in regards to the limitations it imposes on the choice of bulk materials. This article focuses on one parameter, the stress transmission coefficient k_w, which relates the lateral wall stress within a slug of material to the axial stress. To date, this parameter could not be measured directly in an aerated material bed and had to be estimated. Inaccuracies within the prediction were therefore unavoidable. A newly designed test chamber now enables the measurement of the lateral and axial stresses within a slug, which leads directly to this stress transmission coefficient. This article outlines the design of the test apparatus and reports on the experimental results. For the two materials tested, an exponential correlation between the pressure on top of the slug (frontal stress) and the stress transmission coefficient was obtained. Calculating the wall friction coefficient leads to a constant value above a certain material-specific air velocity.     

Stress-Field Modeling and Pressure Drop Prediction for Slug-Flow Pneumatic Conveying in an Aerated Radial Stress Chamber

Slug-flow pneumatic conveying is a full-bore mode of flow within the dense-phase flow regime where bulk materials are transported in the form of slugs at conveying speeds below saltation velocity. The mechanism of slug-flow pneumatic conveying consists of the particles being picked up from the stationary bed in front of a moving slug while the same amount of material is deposited behind the slug. Stress field modeling of the material slug is the first step in developing a prediction model for the pressure drop along a pneumatic conveying line. However, a reliable prediction strongly relies on an accurate assessment of several factors, including the particle properties, pipeline dimensions, and operating conditions. So far, the particle diameter has always been one of the crucial parameters, which is not desirable in regards to the limitations it imposes on the choice of bulk materials. This article focuses on one parameter, the stress transmission coefficient k_w, which relates the lateral wall stress within a slug of material to the axial stress. To date, this parameter could not be measured directly in an aerated material bed and had to be estimated. Inaccuracies within the prediction were therefore unavoidable. A newly designed test chamber now enables the measurement of the lateral and axial stresses within a slug, which leads directly to this stress transmission coefficient. This article outlines the design of the test apparatus and reports on the experimental results. For the two materials tested, an exponential correlation between the pressure on top of the slug (frontal stress) and the stress transmission coefficient was obtained. Calculating the wall friction coefficient leads to a constant value above a certain material-specific air velocity.     

Effect of Particle Properties on Slug Flow Conveying in a Horizontal Pneumatic Pipeline

The influence of particle properties on slug flow conveying was experimentally examined by using polyethylene particles of different densities from 825 kg/m³ to 945 kg/m³ in a horizontal pipeline 5.5 m in length, inside diameter of 32 mm, for air speeds below 8 m/s. It was found that hardness affects the slug flow conveying in such a way that for soft particles lower limiting velocity as well as boundary air velocities for suspension flow and slug flow increases. Additionally, it was found that the frictional characteristics of a particle influence its flow pattern. Also, there are two types of slug flow, that is, a solitary slug flow and a consecutive slug flow. In a solitary slug flow, there is at most only one plug in the pipeline. In a consecutive slug flow, the particles are conveyed continuously as slugs. There is always at least one slug in the pipeline.     

An investigation of segregation and mixing in dense phase pneumatic conveying

Pneumatic conveying of bulk materials has become an important technology in many industries: from pharmaceuticals to petro-chemicals and power generation. Particulate segregation has been investigated in many solids handling processes. However, little work has been published on the segregation and mixing in pneumatic conveying pipelines, particularly in dense phase pneumatic conveying. Due to the character of dense phase flow, it is difficult to investigate the segregation in a flowing plug. A sampling device was designed and built to take samples from the pneumatic conveying pipeline after “catching a plug”. Several experiments were conducted over a range of gas–solids flow conditions with 3 mm nylon pellets and 3 mm ballotini as a segregating mixture. Experimental data combined with video footage were analysed to describe the segregation and mixing of solids plugs in pipes. This investigation provides initial research on establishing a segregation index in a flowing plug. A gas–solids two-dimensional mathematical model was developed for plug flow of a nylon-glass particulate mixture in a horizontal pipeline in dense phase pneumatic conveying. The model was developed based on the discrete element method (DEM). The model was used to simulate the motion of particles both in a homogeneous flow and as binary mixtures taking into account the various interactions between gas, particles and pipe wall. For the gas phase, the Navier Stokes equations were integrated by the semi-implicit method for pressure-linked equations (SIMPLE) using the scheme of Patankar employing the staggered grid system. For the particle motion the Newtonian equations of motion of individual particles were integrated, where repulsive and damping forces for particle collision, the gravity force, and the drag force were taken into account. For particle contact, a model with a simple non-linear spring and dash pot model for both normal and tangential components was used. This model employed a mixture of 3 mm pellets and ballotini as virtual materials with properties of nylon and glass. The results from the model are discussed and compared with experimental work and show qualitative agreement. Further modelling and experimental work in key areas is proposed.     

Effect of Particle Properties on Slug Flow Conveying in a Horizontal Pneumatic Pipeline

The influence of particle properties on slug flow conveying was experimentally examined by using polyethylene particles of different densities from 825 kg/m³ to 945 kg/m³ in a horizontal pipeline 5.5 m in length, inside diameter of 32 mm, for air speeds below 8 m/s. It was found that hardness affects the slug flow conveying in such a way that for soft particles lower limiting velocity as well as boundary air velocities for suspension flow and slug flow increases. Additionally, it was found that the frictional characteristics of a particle influence its flow pattern. Also, there are two types of slug flow, that is, a solitary slug flow and a consecutive slug flow. In a solitary slug flow, there is at most only one plug in the pipeline. In a consecutive slug flow, the particles are conveyed continuously as slugs. There is always at least one slug in the pipeline.     

Solids Friction Factors for Fluidized Dense-Phase Conveying

There have been numerous correlations proposed for determining a solids friction factor ( λs ) for fully suspended (dilute phase) pneumatic conveying. Currently, there are no equivalent correlations that predict λs in nonsuspension dense-phase flows. In dense-phase conveying there are two basic modes of flow: plug/slug flow, which is predominantly based on granular products, and fluidized dense-phase flow, which is more suited to fine powders exhibiting good air retention capabilities. In plug/slug type flow, the stresses between the moving plug of material and the pipe wall dominate the solid-phase frictional losses. In fluidized dense-phase flow the frictional losses are characterized as a mixture of particle-wall and particle-particle losses but are heavily influenced by the gas-solid interactions. In this paper, a series of calculations were performed on experimental data in order to estimate λs for four types of material conveyed in the fluidized dense-phase flow regime. The solids frictional factors were found to be relatively independent of particle properties for varying air and solid mass flow rates and pressure drops. The resultant pressure drop from the empirical model showed good agreement with the experimental data.     

A Pressure Drop Model for Positive Pneumatic Conveying of Flour Through a Vertical Pipeline

A differential equation of motion for gas-flour two-phase flow in a vertical pipe was first derived based on the momentum conservation and by adopting two empirical expressions for the velocity ratio of flour to gas and frictional coefficient between flour and pipe wall, and then a pressure drop model for dilute positive pneumatic conveying of flour through a vertical pipeline was developed by employing the continuity and state equations for gas. The conveying tests were conducted on a positive pneumatic conveying system of flour in a flour mill. Under each of the six different flow conditions, the conveying parameters, such as the flour and gas mass flow rates and the pressure drop between two selected cross sections on the vertical pipeline were measured. The pressure drop between the two selected cross sections was evaluated using the pressure drop model for each of the six flow conditions. The calculated values of pressure drop agree well with the measured data, and it is demonstrated that the model is applicable to vertical positive pneumatic conveying systems of flour.     

Computational model for prediction of particle degradation during dilute-phase pneumatic conveying: modeling of dilute-phase pneumatic conveying

A complete model of particle impact degradation during dilute-phase pneumatic conveying is developed, which combines a degradation model, based on the experimental determination of breakage matrices, and a physical model of solids and gas flow in the pipeline. The solids flow in a straight pipe element is represented by a model consisting of two zones: a strand-type flow zone immediately downstream of a bend, followed by a fully suspended flow region after dispersion of the strand. The breakage matrices constructed from data on 90° angle single-impact tests are shown to give a good representation of the degradation occurring in a pipe bend of 90° angle. Numerical results are presented for degradation of granulated sugar in a large scale pneumatic conveyor.     

Horizontal pneumatic conveying: a 3d distinct element model

Pneumatic conveying is widely used for transporting bulk solids in chemical, process and agricultural industries. It is environmentally friendly, flexible and can be fully automated. But it can also involve high power consumption, wear, abrasion, blockage and particle degradation. Hence understanding the physics can help to optimise design and operation. Conveying in a horizontal pipe involves complex multiphase flows, potentially with lean and dense phase regions, stationary particles and blockage.The Distinct Element Method (DEM) is a powerful tool to study granular dynamics. It models interactions at the particle level and reproduces the assembly physics. This paper presents a 3D DEM model to predict pressure drop, flowrate and flow patterns in pneumatic conveying. The inter-particle forces are modelled using the spring-dashpot-slider analogy. A novel gas flow model is developed. The pipe is divided into sections. In each section a lean and dense region is determined on a voidage criterion based on particle positions. Given the pressure at the boundaries, the fluid flow is determined assuming steady state conditions. This uses the Ergun equation for the flow through the dense phase and the equations of Wen and Yu for modified single spheres and wall resistance for the lean phase. It uses an iterative algorithm adjusting the fluid flowrate so that the pressure in each section is the same in the dense phase and lean phase and maintaining the boundary pressures. Once the fluid flow profile has been calculated the fluid drag on each particle can be determined. The results compare well with experimental data relating pressure gradient and solid and gas flowrates from Molerus (1993), Molerus (1996). Flow patterns for all the flow regimes, fully suspended flow, strand flow, slug flow, and conveying over stationary layer are observed.     

An Investigation into Pressure Fluctuations and Improved Modeling of Solids Friction for Dense-Phase Pneumatic Conveying of Powders

The aim of this paper is to investigate into flow mechanism with the help of pressure signal fluctuations analysis and modeling solids friction in case of solids–gas flows for fluidized-dense-phase pneumatic conveying of fine powders. Materials conveyed include fly ash (median particle diameter 30 µm; particle density 2300 kg m^?3; loose-poured bulk density 700 kg m^?3) and white powder (median particle diameter 55 µm; particle density 1600 kg m^?3; loose-poured bulk density 620 kg m^?3). These were conveyed in different flow regimes varying from fluidized-dense-to-dilute phase. To obtain information on the nature of flow inside pipeline, static pressure signals were studied using technique of Shannon entropy. Increase in the values of Shannon entropy along the flow direction through the straight-pipe sections were found for both the powders. However, drop occurred in the Shannon entropy values after the flow through bend(s). Change in slope of straight-pipe pneumatic conveying characteristics along the flow direction is another factor which provided indication regarding change in flow mechanisms along the flow. A new technique for modeling solids friction factor has been developed using a solids volumetric concentration and ratio of particle terminal settling velocity to superficial air velocity by replacing the conventional use of solids loading ratio and Froude number, respectively. The new model format has shown promise for predictions under diameter scale-up conditions.     

Minimum Transport for Dense-Phase Conveying of Granules

The minimum transport or capacity limitation boundary for low-velocity slug-flow pneumatic conveying affects the design and operation of conveying systems. Unfortunately, the relevant mechanisms involved with this boundary still lack full understanding and assessment. Investigations have been carried out to model the capacity limitation for the low-velocity slug-flow pneumatic conveying of poly granules through horizontal pipes. Pipeline diameter, air mass flow rate, and operating pressure have been found to affect the maximum slugging capacity of this material. A semiempirical equation has been established to predict the maximum solids mass flow rate for a given air mass flow rate and conveying pipeline. Good agreement has been achieved between the model predictions and the experimental results over a wide range of airflows and pressures.     

Minimum Transport for Dense-Phase Conveying of Granules

The minimum transport or capacity limitation boundary for low-velocity slug-flow pneumatic conveying affects the design and operation of conveying systems. Unfortunately, the relevant mechanisms involved with this boundary still lack full understanding and assessment. Investigations have been carried out to model the capacity limitation for the low-velocity slug-flow pneumatic conveying of poly granules through horizontal pipes. Pipeline diameter, air mass flow rate, and operating pressure have been found to affect the maximum slugging capacity of this material. A semiempirical equation has been established to predict the maximum solids mass flow rate for a given air mass flow rate and conveying pipeline. Good agreement has been achieved between the model predictions and the experimental results over a wide range of airflows and pressures.     

Measurement of the Stress Transmission Coefficient of Material Slugs in an Aerated Radial Stress Chamber

In dense-phase pneumatic conveying, particles are transported along a pipeline at relatively low conveying speeds. Due to the relatively gentle handling characteristics of this mode of flow, it is suitable for conveying fragile and brittle bulk materials used in the food and chemical industries. The simulation of the stress field within a slug aims at developing an accurate prediction model for the pressure drop along a pneumatic conveying line. A reliable prediction of the pressure drop strongly depends on an accurate assessment of the particle properties, the pipeline dimensions, and the operating conditions. In past decades, a few models have been developed to serve this purpose, most of them including the mean particle diameter as a crucial parameter. This generally limits the selection of materials to those of nearly spherical particle shape, as it is extremely difficult to obtain a representative diameter for irregularly shaped particles or bulk commodities comprising differently sized and/or shaped particles. Another previously conflicting parameter is the so-called stress transmission coefficient k w , which relates the lateral wall stress within a slug of material to the axial stress. Previously, this parameter could not be measured directly in a test rig and had to be estimated; therefore, inaccuracies within the prediction were unavoidable. Consequently, a new test chamber was developed to measure the lateral and axial stresses within a slug, which leads directly to the stress transmission coefficient. The design of the test apparatus is outlined and the initial tests undertaken are reported. A strong dependence of the radial stress measurements on temperature changes of the test rig induced by the airflow was discovered. Possible solutions to compensate for this influence are addressed and further discussed.     

Simulation of Gas-Solid Flow in Vertical Pipe by Hard-Sphere Model

This article presents a two-dimensional study of the gas-solid flow in a vertical pneumatic conveying pipe by means of a hard-sphere model where the motion of individual particles can be traced. Simulations were performed for a pipe of height 0.9 m and width 0.06 m, with air as gas phase and particles of density 900 kg/m³ and diameter 0.003 m as solid phase. Periodic boundary conditions were applied to the solid phase in the axial direction. Different cases were simulated to examine the effects of the number of particles used, superficial gas velocity, and restitution coefficient. The results show that the main features of plug flow can be reasonably captured by the proposed simulation technique. That is, increasing the number of particles in a simulation will increase the length of plugs but does not change the velocity of plugs; the solid fraction of a plug is relatively low if the number of particles is small. In particular, it is shown that increasing superficial gas velocity will increase the velocity of plugs and the frequency of plugs, and the pressure drop through a rising plug increases linearly with the plug length, suggesting that the total pressure of a conveying system with a given length can be quantified from the information of plug length and plug frequency. Increasing the restitution coefficient can promote the momentum transfer between particles and hence the raining down of particles from the back of a plug in vertical pneumatic conveying. The simulation offers a useful technique to understand the fundamentals governing the gas-solid flow under pneumatic conveying conditions.     

Simulation of Gas-Solid Flow in Vertical Pipe by Hard-Sphere Model

ABSTRACT

This article presents a two-dimensional study of the gas-solid flow in a vertical pneumatic conveying pipe by means of a hard-sphere model where the motion of individual particles can be traced. Simulations were performed for a pipe of height 0.9 m and width 0.06 m, with air as gas phase and particles of density 900 kg/m³ and diameter 0.003 m as solid phase. Periodic boundary conditions were applied to the solid phase in the axial direction. Different cases were simulated to examine the effects of the number of particles used, superficial gas velocity, and restitution coefficient. The results show that the main features of plug flow can be reasonably captured by the proposed simulation technique. That is, increasing the number of particles in a simulation will increase the length of plugs but does not change the velocity of plugs; the solid fraction of a plug is relatively low if the number of particles is small. In particular, it is shown that increasing superficial gas velocity will increase the velocity of plugs and the frequency of plugs, and the pressure drop through a rising plug increases linearly with the plug length, suggesting that the total pressure of a conveying system with a given length can be quantified from the information of plug length and plug frequency. Increasing the restitution coefficient can promote the momentum transfer between particles and hence the raining down of particles from the back of a plug in vertical pneumatic conveying. The simulation offers a useful technique to understand the fundamentals governing the gas-solid flow under pneumatic conveying conditions.     

A NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF SWIRLING FLOW PNEUMATIC CONVEYING IN A HORIZONTAL PIPELINE

ABSTRACT

A numerical simulation for swirling and axial flow pneumatic conveying in a horizontal pipe was carried out with a Eulerian approach for the gas phase and a stochastic Lagrangian approach for particle phase, where particle-particle and particle-wall collisions were taken into consideration. The k-? turbulence model is used to characterize the time and length scales of the gas-phase turbulence. Models are proposed for predicting the particle source and additional pressure loss. The numerical results are presented for polyethylene pellets of 3.1 mm diameter conveyed through a pipeline of 13 m in length with an inner diameter of 80 mm, solid mass flow rate was 0.084 kg/s, and gas velocity was varied from 10 m/s to 18 m/s. The particle flow patterns, the particle concentration and the particle velocity, and additional pressure loss were obtained. It is found that the particle velocity and concentration has almost same value along flow direction in swirling flow pneumatic conveying. The profile of particle concentration for swirling flow pneumatic conveying exhibits symmetric distribution towards the centerline and the higher particle concentration appears in neighbor of wall in the acceleration region. At downstream, the uniform profile of particle concentration is observed. The particle velocity profile, on the other hand, is uniform for both swirling and axial flow pneumatic conveying. A comparison of the calculations with the measured data shows a good agreement within an average error of less than 15 percent.