Numerical simulation of sand–water slurry flow through pipe bend using CFD

Hydrotransport of industrial powders and bulk materials such as minerals, mineral tailings, coal, ash, and sand is regarded as an efficient means of transportation. Pipelines ranging in length from a few meters to a few kilometers are utilized for this purpose. If not properly addressed, the issue of increased head loss owing to the presence of various fittings such as reducers, valves, bends, and so on can lead to increased power consumption. The current study investigated the head loss parameters in pipe bend for the conveyance of solid–liquid flow of sand–water suspension by utilizing the commercial CFD tool ANSYS Fluent. The flow velocity was changed from 1.5 to 4.5 m/s, and the concentration was altered between 10 and 40% (by weight). The SST k − ω turbulence model was used to run a variety of simulations. The sand particle’s average diameter was measured to be 50 µm. Head loss rises with flow velocity and solid weightage. At a flow velocity of 4.5 m/s, the head loss increased by 6.33, 8.43, and 10.99% when the solid concentration changed from 10–20%, 20–30%, and 30–40%, respectively. When compared to solid concentration, head loss occurs greater as velocity increases. From the contours, it is clear that more turbulency occurs at the intrados of the pipe wall. To save energy, commercial slurry pipelines should be operated around the designed higher concentration and minimum design velocity.