Hydraulic transport of a mixture of coarse material and clay

Conclusions

• 1. Addition of clay to coarse material greatly reduces the critical velocity of a hydraulic mixture and the specific frictional head losses. A decrease in the velocity of hydraulic transport may reduce by a factor of 1.5–2 the wear on pipes and equipment; this markedly increases the efficiency of the hydraulic transport setup.

• 2. A decrease in the specific frictional head losses and an increase in the transporting capacity of the flow play a major role in reducing the energy consumption of the plant. This enables us to increase the consistency of the hydraulic mixture and to transport hydraulic mixtures of higher consistencies for the same energy consumption.

• 3. It is necessary to perform much experimental research on the hydraulic transport of mixtures of coarse sand and clay, and mixtures of coarse material and clay; this should include determination of the hydraulic transport parameters, the physicochemical properties of the material being transported, and the effect of the percentage content of clay in the solid material on hydroabrasive wear of the pipes and equipment.

• 4. The use of a clay-water mixture as a transport medium might open up an extensive future for the hydraulic transport of very abrasive ashy-slaggy materials, etc.; this would increase the service life of the pipes and equipment.