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Slurry Transport and Minimum Flow Velocity
Settling of solids in slurry transport pipes or tubes can be avoided with flow velocities above certain levels
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A suspension of solid particles in a liquid, as in a mixture of cement, clay, coal dust, manure, meat, etc. - with water is often called a slurry.
In transport systems for slurries it's important to avoid the solids to settle. This can be done by keeping the fluid speed in the pipe lines above certain levels. The levels depends primary on the type and size of the solid:
| Type of Solids | Size of Solids (Mesh No) |
Flow Velocity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| m/s | ft/s | ||
| Fine | over 200 | 1 – 1.5 | 3 – 5 |
| Sand | 200 – 20 | 1.5 – 2 | 5 – 7 |
| Coarse | 20 – 4 | 2 – 3.25 | 7 – 11 |
| Sludge | 3.25 – 4.25 | 11 – 14 | |
A pipeline transport system may under certain circumstances be nearly self cleaning. When solids settles the area of the pipe will decrease and the fluid speed increase until the state of equilibrium where the speed is so high that settling is avoided.
The speed should be increased in lifting lines by decreasing the piping diameter. At the end of the pipelines the speed should be slowed down by increasing the pipeline diameters.
Mesh definition
- Mesh is the number of opening per inch of a screen - "a 100 mesh screen"
- Mesh is often used to measures the size of particles - "100 mesh powdered sand"
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