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Influence of Rheology on the Flow Characteristics of Bauxite Slurries During Hydraulic Conveying Through the Pipeline

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Abstract

The primary focus of the present study is to demonstrate the role of particle concentration and size distribution on bauxite slurry rheology and slurry transportation. It was previously established that in such systems at shear rates in the range of 10–500 s−1, the slurry is free from wall slip and Taylor vortices. Hence, all our experiments were carried out in this shear rate range. Our rheological data reveals the shear thinning flow behaviour of bauxite slurries irrespective of particle concentration and particle size. The slurry with fine particles enhances the viscosity, which is reduced by incorporating an optimum concentration of coarse particles. The flow coefficients obtained using a Power-law model on the rheological curves are used to calculate head losses, energy consumption, and energy cost for slurry transportation through the pipeline. Results suggest that a large quantity of solids containing heavier and coarser particles can be transported economically with low energy consumption.

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Acknowledgements

Authors thank Mr. N.L. Modha (N.L. Modha Pvt. Ltd Porbandar, Gujarat) for providing the bauxite sample. Authors are also thankful to IIT Gandhinagar for providing the experimental facilities. Vighnesh Prasad thanks the Director, CSIR—IMMT Bhubaneswar for the permission to write/edit this draft.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar, 382355, India

    Vighnesh Prasad & Prachi Thareja

  2. Design and Project Engineering Department, CSIR – Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar, 751013, India

    Vighnesh Prasad

  3. Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar, 382355, India

    Surya Pratap Mehrotra

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  1. Vighnesh Prasad
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Prasad, V., Thareja, P. & Mehrotra, S.P. Influence of Rheology on the Flow Characteristics of Bauxite Slurries During Hydraulic Conveying Through the Pipeline. Trans Indian Inst Met (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12666-023-02988-0

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