Rheological characteristics of bauxite slurry with varying concentration, particle size distribution, and modal distribution for pipeline transportation

Abstract

Some of the foremost parameters effecting the slurry rheology, preferably the slurry concentration, particle size distribution, and modal distributions, were studied in the current findings, figuring out the variation in shear stress and apparent viscosity using a rotational rheometer. The particle size considered for the test ranges from fine particle size of −75 µm to coarse particle size of +75–300 µm, separated at varied size fractions of +75–105, +105–150, +150–210, and +210–300 µm. The −75 µm bauxite slurry at 60 wt% has shown a maximum static settled concentration (Cw -max) under gravity after 48 h free settlement. This fine particle slurry at varying concentrations of Cw  = 45–65% is discerned to behave like a Non-Newtonian Bingham plastic fluid at lower concentrations, unlike the other coarse fraction bauxite slurries at Cw  =  55%, which exhibit shear thickening behavior. The present work carried out adds knowledge on the rheological behavior of bimodal, trimodal, and multimodal with four and five different size fraction bauxite slurries in finding the optimum mass concentration for a particle size fraction of (coarse):(fine), obtained in the ratio (25):(75), (25:25):(50), (25:25:10):(40), and (15:15:15:15):(40), respectively of the total 60 wt%. Certain parameters, like yield stress, consistency index (k), and flow behavior index (n), were estimated upon fitting the modal distributions to the Herschel Bulkley model to choose the best particle size distribution of the bauxite sample showing improved slurry stability, rheology, and flow characteristics.