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Title: Experiments on densely-loaded non-Newtonian slurries in laminar and turbulent pipe flows: Quarterly technical progress report No. 1. [Silica gel particles suspended in mixture of 70. 3% Stoddard solvent (saturated hydrocarbon) and 29. 7% Exxon 150 (aromatic hydrocarbon)]

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:6920816

An experimental evaluation of the structure of non-Newtonian slurries in laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow regimes in pipes is the primary objective of this research. Experiments will be conducted in a large scale pipe slurry flow facility with an inside pipe diameter of 50 mm (2 inches). Detailed flow measurements including turbulence quantities such as Reynolds stress will be taken with a two-component laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) in a transparent test section with a transparent model slurry. During the past quarter, a transparent model slurry was developed with non-Newtonian rheological properties. Silica gel particles with diameters less than one micron were suspended in a mixture of 70.3% Stoddard Solvent (a saturated hydrocarbon) and 29.7% Exxon 150 (an aromatic hydrocarbon) by weight. The refractive index was measured as 1.4543, and the difference in refractive indices between the solids and the liquid was estimated to be less than 0.001. In rheological measurements with a concentric cylinder viscometer, a slurry with 5.6% solids by weight exhibited both slip and power law behavior. Qualitative results also indicate that the model slurry has a yield value. An adequate signal-to-noise ratio was measured in the model slurry with a two-component LDV system during bench scale tests. Several other items of significance were also completed. A Plexiglas dye injector was fabricated for the flow visualization experiments. The device contains a circumferential injector slot for visualization of wall phenomena. Test section design has been completed and fabrication is in progress. Flow visualization experiments will be initiated during the next quarter. 15 refs., 7 figs., 1 tab.

Research Organization:
Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
FG22-86PC90962
OSTI ID:
6920816
Report Number(s):
DOE/PC/90962-T1; ON: DE87004486
Resource Relation:
Other Information: Portions of this document are illegible in microfiche products
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English