Multi-Diameter Piping Circuit for Solid Conveying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional particulate conveying systems face challenges in maintaining particle suspension and minimizing pressure losses, particularly in dilute phase systems where high velocities are required to prevent particle accumulation and ensure stable conveying, while dense phase systems struggle with abrasive and friable materials that require higher solids loading and pressure.
Innovation Solution
A piping circuit design with strategically sized segments to maintain particle velocities above pick-up and saltation velocities, featuring a first segment with a smaller cross-sectional area for initial particle introduction and a second segment with a larger area to reduce pressure losses and ensure stable dilute phase conveying, allowing the mixture to reach a terminal location with sufficient kinetic energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high velocities are used in dilute phase conveying systems to maintain particle suspension, then particle suspension and conveying stability are improved, but pressure losses and dynamic loads increase
Solution Approach 1:
The conveying system is divided into multiple pipe segments with different diameters. The first segment has a smaller diameter to maintain high velocities for particle suspension, while the second segment has a larger diameter to reduce pressure losses. This segmentation allows the system to achieve both reliable particle suspension and reduced energy losses by optimizing the diameter for different functional requirements along the conveying path.
2Productivity
If higher solids loading is used in dense phase systems, then conveying efficiency is improved, but particle accumulation and unstable flow occur
Solution Approach 1:
Different segments of the piping system are designed with different cross-sectional areas to create local quality variations. The first segment with smaller area maintains higher velocities suitable for dilute phase conveying with stable particle suspension, while the second segment with larger area allows for reduced velocities and higher solids loading. This local differentiation of flow conditions enables the system to achieve both conveying efficiency and flow stability by matching the local pipe characteristics to the required flow regime.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents particle accumulation and maintains stable conveying by ensuring particles remain suspended and above saltation velocity, reducing dynamic loads and pressure losses, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the conveying process.
Implementation Method 1
flowing a mixture of the solid particles and a gas in a first portion of the piping circuit, and at a velocity at least as great as a pick up velocity of the particles
Implementation Method 2
directing the mixture into a second portion of the piping circuit having a flow area greater than a flow area of the first portion of the piping circuit, and in which a velocity of the mixture is at least as great as a saltation velocity of the particles
Data Source
AI summary
A mixture of gas and solid particles are conveyed through a piping circuit connected between initial and terminal points. The gas is introduced at the initial point and the particles are introduced between the initial and terminal points. A diameter of the piping circuit increases downstream of where the particles are introduced, and a velocity of the gas is at least as great as a pick-up velocity of the particles at the point where the particles are introduced into the piping circuit. In addition to the above constraints, the piping circuit is sized so that total pressure losses due to flow in the piping circuit between the initial and terminal points are within a designated amount.