Patterns of air mixture movement in the operating area for the annular ejector of pneumatic transportation system

Abstract

Purpose. To establish the regularities of two-phase flow of “gas-solid particles” in the operating area of an annular ejector where the following processes take place: air mixture ejecting, compressed air outflow from the ejector nozzle, air mixture flows mixing in the transport pipeline. In the work, the velocity distribution is also examined for dispersed phase and air phase of air mixture during its loading and accelerating in the transport pipeline of the pneumatic transport system. Methodology. The research is based on the fundamental approaches of mass point dynamics, aerodynamics, the theory of jet flows and iteration methods of numerical solution of equations. Findings. The mechanics of the air mixture flow under the ejection and aerodynamic force in the operating area of an annular ejector and at the beginning of transport pipeline is analyzed using the method of iterations. The impact of air mixture flow in the operating area of an annular ejector on energy performance of the pneumatic transport system is evaluated. Originality. The originality is that, for the first time, the regularities describing two-phase “gas–solid particles” flow at the loading area of the pneumatic transport system with an annular ejector have been obtained. This made it possible to characterize the velocity distribution of the dispersed and air phases of the air mixture during their loading and aerodynamic acceleration in the transport pipeline. Also, an innovative approach to the effectiveness of the use of pipeline pneumatic transport is the assessment of the energy indicators of the use of ejector-type pneumatic transport equipment depending on the rate of compressed air outflow from the ejector. Practical value. The implementation of the results in the modernization of existing and in the creation of new pneumatic transport systems with an annular ejector makes it possible to increase the efficiency of their use in the technological processes of moving dispersed materials at mining and metallurgical enterprises and in other areas of technology.