Towards the Assessment of the Predictive Capacity of the β-σ Two-Fluid Model for Pseudo-Homogeneous Slurry Flow in Pipes

This paper focuses on the numerical simulation of turbulent, pseudo-homogeneous slurry flows in pipes through the β-σ two-fluid model, developed by the authors and collaborators in previous research. The two-fluid model gives its name to the presence of two main calibration coefficients, namely, σ, associated with the turbulent dispersion of the particles, and β, related to the inter-phase friction and to the wall shear stress produced by the solid phase. In a recently published article, the role played by β and σ on different features of the CFD solution has been established for different flow conditions, and a procedure for the calibration of the two coefficients has been proposed. The present contribution investigates the extrapolability of previously calibrated coefficients to different conditions in terms of pipe diameter, particle type, and in-situ concentration. The experimental data used to support the conclusions and recommendations from the numerical study were obtained from previously published literature. The findings of this study not only contribute to a deeper comprehension of the β-σ two-fluid model, but they also provide a methodological background for the development of computational tools for industrial practitioners and academic researchers.