A new correlation for sedimentation of concentrated suspensions in shear-thinning fluids
An experimental investigation has been made of the settling behavior of concentrated suspensions in viscoelastic polymer solutions, as a function of the fluid rheological properties. The sedimentation experiments examined a wide range of shear-thinning and viscoelastic behavior (power-law index n range 0.2--1.0 and relaxation time {lambda} range 0.1--100 sec), using model suspensions of closely-sized glass beads. The experimental results were compared with four available theoretical models which are based on the fluid rheological properties. A new relationship is proposed, based on the single particle settling velocity, a critical solids volume fraction c* and the fluid rheological properties. The new relationship predicts two different settling regimes: fast-setting for low solids loading c {le} c*, and slow-settling for high solids loading c {ge} c*. The new relationship simplifies to the well-established Richardson-Zaki correlation for sedimentation in Newtonian fluids.
- OSTI ID:
- 372399
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9410272-; TRN: IM9641%%476
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: SPE Institute of Petroleum meeting, London (United Kingdom), Oct 1994; Other Information: PBD: 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of European petroleum conference: Proceedings. Volume 1; PB: 607 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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