The Effect of a Three-Blade Tube on the Pneumatic Transport of Pebble Particles

Yating Hao, Hongyu Chen and Yun Ji ()
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Yating Hao: School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
Hongyu Chen: School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
Yun Ji: School of Mechanical Engineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-21

Abstract: In this paper, the Computational Fluid Dynamics–Discrete Element Method (CFD-DEM) coupling method was used to simulate the pneumatic transport of pebble particles in a three-blade spiral tube. The results showed that the flow field distribution rotated along the circumference after loading. The maximum velocity of the flow field after loading was manifested as rotation along the circumference. In addition, the swirl intensity decreased exponentially with the increase in conveying distance, and the maximum swirl intensity had a saturation value. After reaching the saturation value, it is not evident that increasing the initial air velocity significantly affected swirl variation. The smaller the pitch, the greater the initial swirl intensity. The swirling flow was conducive to the fluidization of particles, but it would bring a significant energy loss. Increasing the swirl can increase the degree of particle dispersion. There is an optimal tangential airflow velocity, which allows the particles to fully spin and stay in the suspension zone without being thrown onto the pipe wall by excessive centrifugal force. At this time, the energy efficiency reaches the highest level. A 5.87 m/s velocity was deemed the optimal tangential airflow velocity for conveying 3 mm particles.

Keywords: CFD-DEM; three-blade tube; gas–solid two-phase flow; swirling pneumatic conveying (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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