Bridging the gap: Slurry behaviour from coarse to colloid

David Harbottle, Amy Tindley, Dominic Rhodes, Mike Fairweather, Simon Biggs

Research output: Contribution to conferenceConference presentation/ephemerapeer-review

Abstract

Solid-liquid mixtures are encountered in a wide variety of industrial processes, leading to a great deal of interest within the research community in trying to predict and characterise such flows. Classical slurry-flow research has centred on investigating coarse particle laden flows where an understanding of stratification and pressure drop is vital in the design and operation of such processes. In contrast, the conveyance of fine or colloidal sized material requires different control parameters. Here, stratification of the sediment and pressure gradients during transportation are overshadowed by the rheological influences that begin to dominate during abnormal operation or during a system shutdown. Colloidal suspensions are strongly influenced by strong particle-particle interaction forces which operate in the system; these interactions govern both stable dispersions and the bulk behaviour of a sediment bed. The DLVO theory (Deryagin-Landau and Verwey-Overbeek) describes the total interaction energy between two spherical particles in a dispersion through the superposition of all the relevant repulsive and attractive forces. Here we are interested in analysing the behaviour of sediment beds under different conditions where the strength of the attractive and repulsive forces vary such that we may have strongly repulsive or strongly attractive systems. These systems are analysed in terms of their rheological, sedimentation, re-suspension and bed consolidation characteristics.

Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2006
Externally publishedYes
Event2006 AIChE Spring National Meeting - 5th World Congress on Particle Technology - Orlando, FL, United States
Duration: 23 Apr 200627 Apr 2006

Conference

Conference2006 AIChE Spring National Meeting - 5th World Congress on Particle Technology
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityOrlando, FL
Period23/04/0627/04/06

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