The entry length for slurries in horizontal pipeline flow

Abstract

AbstractThe entry length for horizontal slurry pipeline flows has been determined experimentally using a pipeline of diameter 50 mm. Concentration and velocity distributions have been measured in the vertical direction at positions 6, 50 and 185 diameters downstream of the entrance.The measurements show that the entry length is of the order of 50 pipe diameters for sand slurries. High particle settling velocities give somewhat shorter lengths than intermediate settling velocities. With lower density polystyrene particles for which dispersive effects are important, the entry length is significantly greater than 50 diameters. The velocity distributions show that the velocity profiles develop concurrently with the concentration profiles. For sand slurries, a two‐dimensional simulation gives a satisfactory representation of the developing concentration profiles.