Academic literature on the topic 'Mineral slurries'

Abstract In order to improve the optimisation of mineral processing operations the rheological properties of slurries must be determined as accurately as possible under the conditions that closely resemble actual site conditions. The rheology of particles suspended in Newtonian fluids is well documented. However, the rheology of particles in non-Newtonian fluids has not been the subject of much investigation till now. The work conducted here attempts to fill this gap in knowledge. The rheological properties of slurries are heavily dependent on the solids concentrations and particle-solid interaction. At low solids concentrations, constant viscosity and Newtonian behaviour is observed, but as solids concentration increases the rheological behaviour becomes increasingly complex and non-Newtonian with viscosity becoming dependent on the shear rate. The nature of the non-Newtonian behaviour depends on the solid concentration, particle shape, particle size, particle size distribution and the suspending liquid rheological properties. The suspension/slurry may develop a yield stress and become time dependent in nature as structures develop within the fluid at higher solids concentrations. This study however, is primarily focused on the measurement of the rheological properties, where it is assumed that the fluid will be fully sheared and that the rheological properties will be unlikely to change with time. Shear thickening behaviour of slurries was the focus of this work. The aim was to investigate the slurry concentration region where shear thickening occurs. The first objective of the project was to develop a fluid analogue which will have similar rheological behaviour to that of concentrated tailings from gold mines so that it can be used as a test material to simulate the flow behaviour of the tailings in a pipe. The second objective of this project was to enable the prediction of flow behaviour in the pipe loop under certain conditions using the fluid analogue for slurry from Sunrise dam. In order to achieve the objectives, experiments were carried out to obtain a fluid analogue of a shear thickening slurry. CSL 500 and SR 200 rheometers were used for the characterisation of different fluid analogues and shear thickening mineral slurries. Malvern Sizer, model: mastersizerX v1.1, was used to obtain particle size distributions. A mini pipe loop system, located in the laboratory of the Rheology and Materials Processing Centre (RMPC) was used to get pipe line flow data for comparison with the rheometer data. A few fluid analogues with different suspending medium and different concentrations of glass spheres was tested before finally using, 48 vol% glass spheres in 1.8 wt% CMC solution as a fluid analogue for the mineral tailings obtained from Sunrise dam, WA. For comparison between the pipe line and rheometer data, all pipe line data (in the form of 8V/D) were converted to rheometer data (in the form of du/dr) using the Robinowitsch-Mooney equation. The above comparison indicated that it is possible to produce fluid analogue to simulate the flow behaviour of Sunrise dam slurry using a shear thinning suspending medium with high concentration of glass particles. Shear thickening flow behaviour was clearly observed in the rheometer while it was less predominant in a pipe line flow.

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The rheology and flow behaviour of high concentration backfill tailings are investigated using a modified Balance Beam Tube Viscometer. The viscometer is capable of producing reliable data using a computer based data acquisition system and three different tube diameters. The aim of this research is to determine the rheology of backfill tailings in order to predict friction head losses. The backfill tailings were prepared into four different particle size distributions each with a different maximum particle size. Each particle size distribution was tested over a range of high concentrations in the viscometer. The rheology of the lower concentration backfill tailings was successfully characterized using the yield-pseudoplastic model. It has been found that at high concentrations rheological characterization is impossible because the laminar flow region of the pseudo-shear diagram varies with tube diameter. This anomalous behaviour in the form of diameter dependence has been recorded in the literature. The results of high concentration tests on backfill tailings are investigated using the following theories to establish and account for the cause of the anomalous behaviour: Effective slip analysis - corrects the measured data for effective slip. Dense-Phase Model - based on the sliding friction between solid particles and the tube wall. Wall Effect - based on a reduction of in situ concentration due to a wall effect. Boundary-Layer Effect - corrects for the effect of a boundary-layer of liquid at the wall. Modified Friction Factors - takes into account the hydrodynamic lubrication between the solid particles and the tube wall. The existence of a thin layer of liquid at the wall is credible but not yet proven. The anomalous behaviour is linked to this layer. However a suitable method for correcting the measured data has not yet been established.

Transport properties of concentrated suspensions are of interest to many industries. Mineral slurries at higher solids concentrations have shown some rheologically interesting characteristics such as shear thickening, the increase of viscosity of a multi-phase mixture with increasing shear rate. The general literature on the rheology of suspensions records the presence of yield stresses, shear thinning and normal stress differences. Little is said specifically about shear thickening behaviour except for colloidal suspensions. The aim of this study is to examine the behaviour of coarse shear thickening suspensions and determine the causes of this phenomenon. The study intended to achieve the following objectives to; develop the appropriate techniques for rheometric studies of shear thickening suspensions; investigate the nature of particle-fluid interaction; develop a model of shear thickening behaviour as it occurs in non-colloidal suspensions and to develop a method of applying the rheology results to flows and flow geometries of practical relevance. The effects of wall slip dominate much of the literature of shear thickening materials. To investigate this aspect a significant portion of the experimental work examined the effect of shear thickening on torsional flow. The rheogram produced from parallel plate rheometry was reassessed as a non-controlled flow and a rheology model dependant analysis demonstrated that the effects of slip are considerably more problematic for shear thickening suspensions, particularly as wall slip is an increasing function of shear stress. As a consequence of the rheometric method described above it was observed that the rate of change of the first normal stress difference, N1, with shear rate changes as shear thickening commences for non-colloidal suspensions. N1 is initially negative and is increasingly negative at low shear rates. Additional rheometric analysis examined the transient effects in the behaviour of a non-colloidal shear thickening suspension. By employing large angle oscillating strain tests the strain required to initiate a shear thickening response was determined. Coherent back scattering of laser light experiments were able to show the change in orientation of the particles with respect to its rotation around the vorticity axis. After a viscosity minimum was reached the orientation became more random as particle rotation and lamina disruption occurred. This was considered to be the cause of the measured shear thickening. A model of shear thickening in concentrated, non-colloidal suspensions of non-spherical particles was developed. Based on hydrodynamic interaction in the Stokes flow regime, the flow of interstitial fluid subjected the adjacent particles to lubricating and Couette type forces, acting as a couple. When a series of force balances on a particle contained between two moving laminae are conducted as a time sequence, the particle orientation and motion can be observed. The model has qualitative agreement with several aspects of the experimentally observed behaviour of shear thickening suspensions, such as viscosity change with shear rate and concentration, and the first normal stress difference increasing with shear rate. Pipe line flow experiments were conducted on the model suspension. Particle settling produces unusual patterns in shear thickening suspensions, with an annulus of delayed settling near the wall.

Drilled shaft construction often requires the use of drill slurry to maintain borehole stability during excavation and concreting. While drill slurry may be composed of fluids ranging from air to petroleum, drilled shaft construction typically makes use of water based drilling fluids. Although clean water may be utilized as a drilling fluid, a premixed slurry consisting of water, minerals, and/or polymers is more commonly used. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) specifications require the use of mineral slurry for all primary structures. The slurry resists the intrusion of groundwater, slows the outward migration of drilling fluid from the excavation, and aids in the removal of suspended soil cuttings. The mechanisms by which mineral slurries work are quite different from those of polymer slurries. Due to these differences, it is unclear whether a mineral based slurry, which has been fortified with polymers by manufacturers or enhanced through the addition of polymers in the field, behaves more like a mineral slurry rather than polymer slurry. This thesis provides an overview of the methods used to measure physical slurry parameters of interest. These parameters include density, viscosity, pH, sand content, and filtration control. Methods employed to describe the slurry parameters include tools and instrumentation commonly used in both field and laboratory settings.

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Phyllosilicate minerals exist as common gangue components in many low grade ores. Often broadly classified as ‘clays’, this group of minerals is closely associated with several processing issues. Despite many good studies on the physico-chemical properties of phyllosilicates, there still remains a poor understanding of their suspension flow behaviour. The primary objective of this thesis was to characterise the colloidal behaviour of three commonly occurring phyllosilicates, namely muscovite, vermiculite and chrysotile in terms of their surface charge, mineralogical and resultant rheological properties. The thesis was initiated in order to gain a better understanding of the flow behaviour of these minerals within well-defined model mineral systems, with a longer term view to understanding their impact in complex mineral systems found in mineral processing circuits.

PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO
COORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DO PESSOAL DE ENSINO SUPERIOR
CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO
PROGRAMA DE SUPORTE À PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO DE INSTS. DE ENSINO
Rejeitos da mineração contendo grandes quantidades de finos são constantemente descartados em barragens. A recuperação da água contida nesses rejeitos depende, dentre outros fatores, da remoção de reagentes residuais e material particulado fino, que, devido às suas características de tamanho e cargas superficiais requerem tempos de sedimentação impraticáveis industrialmente. Partículas em suspensão, com diâmetro médio inferior a 2 micrometro, não podem ser removidas por sedimentação simples pois, devido às suas cargas superficiais, permanecem em repulsão mútua, promovendo uma estabilidade eletrostática da polpa. Entretanto, o estado de dispersão dessas partículas está diretamente relacionado ao potencial eletrostático de superfície, sendo necessárias etapas de desestabilização de cargas e agregação, por meio de coagulação e floculação. Na indústria mineral as poliacrilamidas são os polímeros comerciais mais comumente utilizados; porém, com a demanda por floculantes de menor custo e ambientalmente amigáveis, como os polímeros naturais de uso ainda incipiente, a quitosana e o ácido húmico passam a ser atrativos para sua aplicação em polpas minerais. Para este caso de estudo serão avaliados um rejeito de níquel e lama vermelha, ambos provenientes de unidades industriais. O pH é uma variável muito influenciável no processo, porém mediante a análise do potencial zeta foram medidas as cargas superficiais resultantes e se determinou o pH de trabalho para cada uma das polpas. A qualidade dos flocos formados tem forte dependência com as condições operacionais de formação como tipo de reagentes e suas combinações, porém mediante a utilização do planejamento experimental foram estudadas variáveis como concentração de sólidos, dosagens de quitosana e de ácido húmico, velocidade e tempo de agitação. Os parâmetros do processo foram otimizados por meio da obtenção e ajuste de modelos matemáticos. Os ensaios de floculação tiveram como variável de resposta a turbidez do sobrenadante e os resultados foram ajustados atendendo às normas ambientais vigentes para reuso da água. Para o rejeito de Ni, em um pH próximo de 7, obteve-se um modelo quadrático, que conferido experimentalmente com as condições otimizadas deu uma resposta de turbidez de 32 NTU. Para o caso da lama vermelha obtiveramse dois modelos: em pH igual a 12 obteve-se um modelo linear, que gerou uma resposta de turbidez de 33 NTU e em pHigual a 8 obteve-se um modelo quadrático, conferido experimentalmente uma resposta de turbidez de 31 NTU. Dessa forma, nota-se que, para os polímeros estudados, é possível reduzir a turbidez de fluxos de sobrenadantes com eficiência de até 90 por cento.
Mining waste containing large amounts of fines are constantly disposed of in dams. The recovery of water contained in these wastes depends, among other factors, the removal of residuals reagents and fine particulate material, which due to their size and surface charge characteristics require of sedimentation times impractical industrially. Suspended particles with an average diameter of less than 2 micrometre, can not be removed by simple sedimentation by reason of their surface charges, remain in mutual repulsion, promoting an electrostatic stability of the pulp. However, the dispersion state of the particles is directly related to the electrostatic surface potential, and steps necessary to destabilize charges and aggregation, through coagulation and flocculation. Polyacrylamides are the most commonly used commercial polymers at the mineral industry; however, the demand for flocculants of lower cost and environmentally friendly, such as natural polymers have incipient use as chitosan and humic acid, become attractive for application in mineral slurries, for this case study will be evaluated the tailings of Ni and the red mud. pH is a very influenceable variable in the process but by an analysis of the zeta potential were measured of resulting surface charges and determined of pH for each of the slurries. The quality of the flakes have formed strong dependence on operating conditions of formation as a kind of reagents and their combinations, but by using the experimental design were studied variables such as of solids concentration, chitosan, humic acid, stirring speed and stirring time. With the obtained mathematical models, were the optimizations conducted of the process parameters. In tests of flocculation, it had turbidity as response variable of the supernatant and the results were adjusted taking into account the environmental standards for water reuse. To Ni in a pH next to 7, there was obtained a quadratic model, given the conditions optimized experimentally gave a turbidity response of 32 NTU. For the case of red mud was obtained two models at pH 12 was obtained as a linear model given experimentally gave a turbidity response of 33 NTU and pH 8 was obtained a quadratic model, given experimentally has a turbidity response of 31 NTU, which show that it is possible to reduce overflow the turbidity from 500 NTU to less than 50 NTU.

Drilled shafts are cylindrical deep foundations constructed by casting fluid concrete into an excavated hole. These elements rely largely on side shear resistance generated by their substantial diameters and lengths to effectively transfer loads. Therefore, an exceptional concrete to soil interface is essential for proper performance of these structures. The FDOT preferred stabilization fluid, bentonite slurry, has been proven to degrade this interface with increased exposure time due to filter cake formation. For this reason, slurry exposure time has been limited to 36 hours by FDOT. Alternately, polymer slurries do not form a filter cake but rather stabilize excavations through continuous soil infiltration and the associated cohesion that accompanies the slurry presence. As polymer slurry use is relatively new to the state of Florida, FDOT does not presently have clear specifications regarding polymer exposure time limits. Hence, this thesis presents the results of pullout tests performed on 1/10th scale drilled shafts constructed with both polymer and bentonite slurries and with varying exposure times. To explore the effect of exposure time on side shear resistance, 24 - 4in diameter 8ft long shafts were constructed: 6 with bentonite and 18 with three different polymer products (6 each). After being exposed to the respective slurry for 0, 1, 2, 4, 8 or 24 hours, each excavated hole was concreted and tested after 7 days of curing. Pullout tests served as a direct measure of side shear resistance due to the absence of base resistance associated with compression testing. After testing, shafts were exhumed and sectioned for filter cake measurement. As expected, shafts constructed using bentonite slurries immediately exhibited a decrease in capacity with increased exposure time. Between 0 and 24 hours a 34% reduction in capacity was witnessed. These reductions were attributed to filter cake thickness which increased with exposure time along with the reduction in effective shaft. After 4 hours of exposure, side shear resistance for the bentonite shafts approached an asymptote, likely defined by the strength of the filter cake formed. The side shear resistance of all polymer shafts exceeded that of the 24hr bentonite control shaft by 20-50 percent depending on the polymer product used. For a given polymer product no capacity reduction was noted with respect to time. Inspection of exhumed shafts revealed the formation of a soil cake (region of stabilized soil stuck to the shaft) around the perimeter of the polymer shafts. Therefore, the side shear resistance of the polymer shafts was defined by the soil-to-soil interface surrounding the shaft and not by an intermediate filter cake. The study resulted in the following findings: (1) open excavations using polymer slurry stabilization are not adversely affected by extended exposure time, (2) the effect of filter cake formation in bentonite supported excavations slows with time whereby no significant degradation in capacity was noted after 8 hours, (3) shafts constructed with polymer slurry performed better than those constructed with bentonite, and (4) as polymer slurry flow into the surrounding soil does not slow with time, more slurry volume is required (compared with bentonite) and slurry level must be continuously maintained.

The deep biosphere has been estimated to be the largest prokaryotic habitat on Earth. However, what energy sources sustain these prokaryotes at depth and over geological timescales, remote from photosynthetic energy supply, is unclear. Hydrogen generation from basalt weathering has been controversially suggested as a potential deep terrestrial energy source, although other minerals were thought to be unimportant, as they did not generate H2 under abiotic conditions. In this study these experiments were repeated but in the presence of sedimentary prokaryotes using a range of minerals, with differing iron concentrations at a range of temperatures (4-105 C) and under anoxic conditions. Results showed that at certain temperatures high levels of H2 were produced from several minerals (600-1650 umol l"1). This was associated with high levels of acetate formation (-5000-1000 umol l"1). Substantial CH4 (100-600 umol f1) was also produced. Sulphate reduction proceeded between 50-85 C, which no removal at higher temperatures, similar to hot oil reservoirs. The amounts of these compounds produced varied depending on mineral composition. The presence of iron in minerals was found not to be necessary to facilitate the production of H2 as previously thought. Under sterile conditions little H2 or other products were formed. This shows that H2 generation from minerals was a microbially mediated process and was consistent with the presence of considerable prokaryotic cell numbers (range 4.3 x 107 to 5.1 x 108 cells ml"1) in these experiments. Prokaryotic cell numbers decrease with increases in temperature, similar to the predicted decrease in numbers with depth in the sub seafloor biosphere (e.g. 99 C 6.67 x 105 cells ml"1). Sequential ramping experiments to 155 C, demonstrated that prokaryotic activity in the biotic zone <120 C, increased the formation of products such as H2 (x34) and low weight molecular acids (acetate x2.3) in the abiotic zone >120 C. This has implications for hydrous pyrolysis experiments, which are used to simulate high temperature diagenesis. This increases the sources of potential energy, which may migrate upward to feed the base of the deep biosphere. The prokaryotic community present was assessed using 16S rRNA gene analysis (PCR-DGGE). Communities varied with mineral type and included thermophilic methanogens and acetate oxidisers, iron-reducers and Deltaproteobacteria, Thermoplasmatales, as well as uncultured bacterial and archaeal sequences. Clone libraries indicate that the archaeal community is similar to proposed HyperSliMe communities, dominated by Thermococcales related species at high temperature 80- 95 C. Fresh grinding of minerals enhanced activity, which has implications for the rate of energy supply in the subsurface. A mechanochemical process based on the interaction of Si radicals, which is enhanced by the presence of prokaryotes, perhaps through microbial weathering, is hypothesised to be involved in H2 generation. But the interaction of other mineral constituents such as Fe, Al and Ti may also play a role. We found minerals stimulated prokaryotic activity up to at least 100 days. Interestingly, the carbon isotope values for the CH4 produced covered a wide range of values (-42 to -78‰), including depleted values that could be misinterpreted as being indicative of an abiotic origin. These results extend the range of minerals that could be potential "dark energy" sources in the subsurface and provide details of the prokaryotes and processes that such energy sources could stimulate.

Thesis (MScIng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Due to economic and environmental constraints mining operations are placed under increasing pressure to effectively manage and operate tailings disposal operations. Restrictions imposed on water usage and tailings operations footprint have led to higher density and wider particle size distribution slurries conveyed to tailings areas. One means of efficiently disposing the tailings is co-disposal. In this method a concentrated fine vehicle slurry is used to convey a coarser fraction. This produces a higher density of tailings, with a number of advantages both upstream and downstream of the tailings process. Limited research has been conducted on the effect of coarse particles on the non-Newtonian rheological properties of these slurries. This lack of information complicates the design and reliable operation of these systems. This project aims at gaining a clearer understanding as to the mechanisms involved in the addition of coarse particles to a fine clay slurry vehicle; and to provide a means of estimating the measured slurry rheological properties. A number of experiments were designed to test the slurry (both Kaolin only, and Kaolin-coarse particle mixtures) rheological properties using a Couette viscometer (for the dynamic flow properties of yield stress and plastic viscosity) and a vane instrument (for the static yield stress measurements). The slurries were prepared in varying Kaolin clay solids concentrations with reverse osmosis water. Glass beads and two types of industrial sand were used as the coarse fractions. All of the coarse particles had a similar size but varied significantly in shape. Slurry pH and temperature readings were monitored throughout the tests. Tests were done initially on clay only slurries. The rheological properties of these slurries were repeatable, and no noticeable variations of properties with time were observed. The yield stress (both static and dynamic) and plastic viscosity data were well correlated with established relationships. Coarse particles were added to the clay only slurries, and then removed. The remaining clay only slurry exhibited the same rheological properties as the initial clay only slurry. The presence of coarse particles increased all the measured rheological properties (i.e. dynamic yield stress, Bingham viscosity, and static vane yield stress) in a fashion resembling the effect of adding clay to a clay only slurry. In addition, the change in measured rheological property by addition of coarse particle was independent of the clay fraction in the clay slurry. Furthermore, with both the clay only slurries and clay and coarse sand slurries, a constant linear relationship existed between the static and dynamic yield stress. Several correlations from the literature were found to provide reasonable prediction of the rheological property variations observed. These empirical and semi-empirical models however did little to explain the mechanisms involved in coarse particle addition. A new correlation has been proposed, Residual Clay Concentration, which predicts the change in rheological property based on an additional clay concentration, which in turn is a linear function of the coarse particle concentration. The accuracy of this model further strengthens the belief that the coarse particle acts in a similar fashion to a floc. By means of a case study example the importance of selecting an appropriate model for design was illustrated. The Residual Clay Concentration method provided the most conservative results. This combined with its theoretical basis strengthens the models recommendation for use in design.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: As gevolg van ekonomiese en omgewings beperkinge word mynwese nywerhede onder toenemende druk geplaas om doeltreffende afvalstroom bestuur en operasie toe te pas. Beperkinge geplaas op water gebruik en afvalstroom area-groote ly tot hoër digthede en wyer partikel-grooteverspreidings van flodders vervoer na afval areas. Een manier om van die afval doeltreffend ontslae te raak en te berg is deur medeberging. In die metode word ‘n gekonsentreerde fyn flodder gebruik as draer van ‘n growwer partikel-fraksie. Dit ly tot ‘n hoër digtheid flodder, met verskeie voordele in beide die op – en afstroom prosesse. Beperkte navorsing is gedoen op die effek van growwe partikels op die nie-Newoniese rheolgiese eienskappe van hierdie flodders. Hierdie tekort aan informasie maak die effektiewe, betroubare bedryf en operasie van die sisteme meer ingewikkeld. Hierdie projek is daarheen gemik om ‘n beter begrip te ontwikkel met betrekking tot die meganismes betrokke in die byvoeging van growwe partikels aan ‘n fyn klei-agtige flodder draer; en om ‘n manier te voorsien wat die rheologiese eienskappe kan beraam. Verskeie eksperimente was ontwerp om die flodders (beide slegs Kaolien, en Kaoliengrowwe partikel mengsels) se rheologiese eienskappe te toets deur die gebruik van ‘n Couette-viskometer. Die Couette viskometer was gebruik om die dinamiese eienskappe (van grens-spanning, en plastiese viskositet) te meet. ‘n Vaan apparaat is gebruik om die eienskap van statiese grens-spanning te meet. Die flodders was voorberei in verskeie Kaolien konsentrasies met tru-osmosis water. Glas krale en twee tipes industriële sand is gebruik as die growwe fraksies. Al die growwe partikels het soortgelyke groottes gehad, maar het grootliks verskil in vorm. Die flodder pH en temperatuur lesings is deurentyd nagegaan. Toetse was aanvanklik gedoen op die klei-alleenlike flodders. Die gemete reologiese eienskappe van die flodders was herhaalbaar, en geen opmerkbare veranderinge van die eienskappe met betrekking tot tyd is gemeet nie. Die grens-spanning (beide statiese en dinamiese) en plastiese viskositeit is goed gekorrelleer met gevestigde verhoudinge. Growwe partikels is aan die klei-alleenlike flodders bygevoeg, en daarnae verwyder. Die oorblywende klei-alleenlike flodder het dieselfde gemete rheologiese eienskappe getoon as die oorspronklike klei-allenlike flodder. Die teenwoordigheid van growwe partikels het na ‘n toename van al die gamete rheologiese eienskappe gelei wat fisies baie soortgelyk is aan die byvoeging van klei tot ‘n klei-alleenlike flodder. Verder, met beide die klei-alleenlike en klei-growwe partikel flodders het ‘n konstante liniëre funksie tussen die statiese en dinamiese grens-spannings bestaan. Verskeie verhoudings uit die literatuur het goeie korrelasie bewerkstellig met die waargenome rheologie veranderinge. Hierdie empiriese en semi-empiriese modelle doen egter min om die megansimes betrokke in die toevoeging van growwe partikels te verduidelik. ‘n Nuwe korrelasie is voorgestel, naamlik die Residu Klei Konsentrasie. Hierdie model voorspel die verandering in reologiese eienskappe gebaseer op ‘n addisionele klei konsentrasie, wat ‘n liniëre funkise is van die growwe partikel konsentrasie. Die goeie korrelasie gesien met die model versterk die idée dat die growwe partikel in ‘n soortgelyke manier as ‘n flok gedra in die teenwoordigheid van ander flokke. Deur middel van ‘n tipiese industriële voorbeeld is die belangrikheid in die keuse van die regte korrelasie geillustreer. Die Residu Klei Konsentrasie metode het die mees konservatiewe resultate gelewer. Hierdie feit gekombineerd met die model se soliede teoreitiese beginsels versterk dit as voorgestelde korrelasie vir ontwerp.

Slurries transport through circular pipelines is present in many industries: oil, mineral, water and others. There are many variables involved in slurry flows, causing the flow behavior of these slurry systems to vary over a wide range, and therefore, different approaches have been used to describe their behavior in various flow regimes. At some typical applications, the rheology of the base fluid is itself non-Newtonian. Due to the wide range of variables and their variations, the experimental approach is necessarily limited by geometric and physical scale factors. For a non-Newtonian base fluid, only some particular cases that cover a limited range of conditions have been reported. For these reasons, numerical simulation constitutes an ideal technique for predicting the general flow behavior of these systems. Models in this area can be divided in two different classes: Eulerian-Eulerian and Lagrangian-Eulerian. Lagrangian-Eulerian models calculate the path and motion of each particle, while Eulerian-Eulerian models treat the particle phase as a continuum and average out motion on the scale of individual particles. This work focuses on the Eulerian-Eulerian approach for modeling the flow of a mixture of sand particles and a non-Newtonian fluid in a horizontal pipe. The steady-state rheological behavior of the base fluid was expressed by the three-parameter Sisko model. Homogeneous and heterogeneous flow regimes are considered. For the present study, the widely used “k-ε model” is employed to model turbulent viscosity. The k-ε turbulence model introduces two additional variables: the kinetic energy of the fluid turbulence, k, and the dissipation rate of this kinetic energy, ε. These two variables are solved throughout the fluid domain via two additional differential transport equations. The k-ε model is therefore commonly referred to as a “two-equation” turbulence model. The turbulent viscosity is then determined as a function of k and ε. Additionally, closure of solid-phase momentum equations requires a description for the solid-phase stress. Constitutive relations for the solid-phase stress, considering the inelastic nature of particle collisions based on kinetic theory concepts, have been used. Governing equations were solved numerically using the control volume-based finite element method. An unstructured non-uniform grid was chosen to cover the entire computational domain. A second-order scheme in space was used. Precise numerical solutions in a fully developed turbulent flow were found. Flow behavior for different sand concentrations was simulated. Results for the mean pressure gradients were compared with experimental data. The results turned out to be in compliance with those from the experimental data, for a sand concentration of less than 5%. Numerical simulations of non-Newtonian slurry flows provide a method that can relate properties of the fluid and solid component of the slurry, and does not entail the time and expenses needed for empirical studies. This also might provide a further sight to develop correlations between mean pressure gradients and slurry mean velocity.

Magnetic responsive materials can be used in a variety of applications. For structural applications, the ability to create tunable moduli from relatively soft materials with applied electromagnetic stimuli can be advantageous for light-weight protection. This study investigated magnetorheological composite materials involving carbonyl iron particles (CIP) embedded into two different systems. The first material system was a model cementitious system of CIP and kaolinite clay dispersed in mineral oil. The magnetorheological behaviors were investigated by using parallel plates with an attached magnetic accessory to evaluate deformations up to 1 T. The yield stress of these slurries was measured by using rotational and oscillatory experiments and was found to be controllable based on CIP loading and magnetic field strength with yield stresses ranging from 10 to 104 Pa. The second material system utilized a polystyrene-butadiene rubber solvent-cast films with CIP embedded. The flexible matrix can stiffen and become rigid when an external field is applied. For CIP loadings of 8% and 17% vol %, the storage modulus response for each loading stiffened by 22% and 74%, respectively.