EFFECT OF PIPE INCLINATION ON COARSE-GRAINED PARTICLE-WATER MIXTURES FLOW

Abstract

The effect of the mixture velocity, solid concentration, and pipe inclination on the coarse-grained particle–water mixtures flow behaviour, concentration distribution, and pressure drops were experimentally studied in horizontal, vertical, and inclined pipes of inner diameter D=100 mm. Graded basalt gravel was used as a solid phase. The local concentration distribution was studied with the application of a gamma-ray densitometer. The study revealed the stratified flow pattern of the coarse particle-water mixture in horizontal and inclined pipes. The particles moved principally close to the pipe invert, and particle saltation becomes the dominant mode of particle conveying for higher and moderate flow velocities. The frictional pressure droops in ascending pipe increases with increasing pipe inclination up to about 30 degrees, then gradually decreases. For the pipe inclination lower than about 30°, the effect of pipe inclination on local concentration distribution was not significant. The in-situ concentration reached higher values in the ascending than in the descending sections.