SLURRY FLOW THROUGH AN UPWARD-FACING STEP

The flow of a solid-water mixture through an upward-facing step in a channel is numerically investigated, focusing on the influence of expansion ratio, mean solid volume fraction and particle diameter. Expansion ratios of 0.50 and 0.67, particle diameter of 125 µm and 440 µm and mean solid volume fraction between 0.05 and 0.20 are considered. Particle density is 2465 kg/m3 . An Eulerian Two-Fluid model is used to simulate the flow. The model is validated by comparison to experimental data about the horizontal pipe case. Afterwards, it is studied the effect of the above mentioned parameters upon the velocity and particle volume fraction fields. Variables of engineering interest, such as the reattachment length and the extension of the region in which the velocity and volume fraction fields are affected by the step, are investigated.