Numerical investigation of solid-liquid slurry flow through an upward-facing step

Abstract

Abstract The flow of a solid-water mixture through an upward-facing step in a channel is numerically investigated. The effect of expansion ratio, mean solids volume fraction and particle diameter on the velocity field, pressure distribution and solid volume fraction field is studied. 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 m-3. An Eulerian twofluid model is used to simulate the flow. Due to the lack of experimental data, the model was validated by comparison to other numerical investigations and to experimental data about the horizontal pipe case. Afterwards, it is studied the effect of the above mentioned parameters upon the degree of coupling between the phases and the extension of the disturbance region in the pressure and solid volume fraction fields downstream the step. Parameters of engineering interest, such as the reattachment length and the pressure recovery downstream the enlargement, are investigated.