Turbulent Flow with Suspended Particles

Abstract

Two fundamental equations, the energy equation and the acceleration balance equation of turbulent motion, are derived for flows with suspended particles. Using these equations, general formulas are derived for the changes in the characteristic turbulent quantities such as the von Karman constant, the turbulent intensity, the life time of eddies, and the diffusion coefficient. Fairly good agreements between the theory developed and published experimental results are shown for sediment-laden flows and a special case of flow with suspensions of neutrally buoyant particles. Moreover, the theory predicts that the decrease in the turbulent intensity or the damping effect due to suspension of sediment particles will be very small, contrary to the commonly accepted belief.