Investigation of pulsation in slurry-pumping systems in coal-liquefaction plants. Final report

Technical Report · Thu Mar 10 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6413448

McKee, R J

This investigation was conducted to measure pulsations in coal slurries at two pilot plants and to develop techniques for controlling pulsations when designing full-scale liquefaction units. Field measurements were made of the pressure pulsations, pump performance, cavitation signals, and acoustic velocities. The data was analyzed for pump efficiencies, effects of valve action, pulsation levels, resonant frequencies, mode shapes, cavitation limits, and speed of sound values. Calculations of the acoustic velocities were made from thermophysical data. Simulations of the two field installations were conducted with a dynamic acoustic analog which duplicated the pulsation behavior measured in the field. Pulsation-control arrangements were evaluated. This study verified that the dynamic acoustic analog simulator can accurately represent the pulsation interactions of a coal-slurry-pumping system and can evaluate and design pulsation-control measures. Acoustic velocities for mixtures of coal slurries can be predicted adequately. Pump efficiencies were judged to be adequate for future use. Controlling suction pulsations will improve cavitation limits. Continued experience with pulsations in slurry-pumping systems should expand and refine the technology of pulsation control for liquefaction applications. The design procedures that should be used to control pulsations in a slurry-pumping system are given.

• Research Organization: Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (USA). Applied Physics Div.
• DOE Contract Number: AC22-81PC40089
• OSTI ID: 6413448
• Report Number(s): DOE/PC/40089-T2; ON: DE83009226
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010405* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Hydrogenation & Liquefaction
013000 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
42 ENGINEERING
420400 -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
COAL LIQUEFACTION
COAL LIQUEFACTION PLANTS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONTROL
DATA
DISPERSIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
EXXON LIQUEFACTION PROCESS
FIELD TESTS
FUEL SLURRIES
FUELS
FUNCTIONAL MODELS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INFORMATION
LIQUEFACTION
MIXTURES
NUMERICAL DATA
PERFORMANCE
PILOT PLANTS
PULSATIONS
PUMPING
PUMPS
RESONANCE
SIMULATION
SLURRIES
SOUND WAVES
SRC PROCESS
SUSPENSIONS
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
VELOCITY