Investigation of Constant Volume and Constant Flux Initial Conditions on Bidensity Particle-Laden Slurries on an Incline

Abstract

Particle-laden slurries are pervasive in both natural and industrial settings, whenever particles are suspended or trans-ported in a fluid. Previous literature has investigated the case of a single species of negatively buoyant particles suspended in a viscous fluid. On an incline, three distinct regimes emerge depending on the particle concentration andinclination angle: settled (where particles settle and there is a pure fluid front), well-mixed (where particle concentration is constant throughout), and ridged (where a particle-rich ridge leads the flow). Recently, the same three regimes were also found for constant volume two species bidensity slurries. We extend the literature on bidensity slurries by presenting results on constant volume and a new type of initial condition: constant flux, where slurry is pumped onto the incline at a constant rate. We present front positions of the slurries and compare them to theoretical predictions. In addition, height profiles (film thicknesses) are also presented for the constant flux case, showing the distinct behavior ofthe ridged regime. We find that for constant flux conditions the settled regime forms for small particle volume fractions and inclination angles while the ridged regime forms for large corresponding values. Intermediate values of these two parameters are shown to produce a well-mixed regime.

Type
Publication