RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF SUSPENSIONS OF SOLID SPHERES IN NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS

A theoretical expression based on the cell model has been developed to predict the dependence of the flow properties of a suspension in a wide range of solids concentration when the dispersing medium is a non-Newtonian liquid. Theoretical predictions show that the increase of the relative consistency coefficient of a suspension with increasing particle concentration is less dramatic when the flow index of the suspending medium is lower. Comparison with published data shows that the predictions of the present model for the relative consistency coefficient of a suspension in a non-Newtonian fluid are fairly accurate.