Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of three-phase non- Newtonian slurry flows in industrial horizontal pipelines

Understanding the flow behavior of complex concentrated slurries is of tremendous importance for industrial waste management. In this study, the transport of three-phase oil sands tailings in a horizontal pipeline is simulated via the mixture multiphase model coupled with the kinetic theory of granular flow. The solid particles and bitumen droplets are conveyed via a non-Newtonian carrier fluid in a turbulent regime inside an industrial-scale pipeline. The simulation results showed exceptional agreement with the field data, with errors of <3.5% for velocity distribution and <15% for the pressure drop. A systematic parametric investigation was performed for a wide range of flow conditions, showing that the majority of bitumen droplets reside at the top region of the pipe. Our findings may help design an effective process for the separation of bitumen residues during pipeline transport. (c) 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this study, the transport of three-phase oil sands tailings in a horizontal pipeline was simulated using the mixture multiphase model coupled with the kinetic theory of granular flow. The simulation results showed exceptional agreement with the field data, with errors of <3.5% for velocity distribution and <15% for the pressure drop. It was found that the majority of bitumen droplets reside at the top region of the pipe, which is of great significance for designing an effective process for the separation of bitumen residues.