Parametric insights into flow parameters of multiphase slurry transport in annular jet pumps: A comprehensive mixture model study

Abstract

Efficient suction of slurry is crucial in the mining industry where multiphase flows of different volume fractions and particle sizes are encountered. Annular pet pump (AJP) is popular for slurry suction due to its simple design and lack of moving parts. This parametric study comprehensively investigates the slurry transport dynamics within a modular annular jet pump using a .multiphase mixture model with the realizable k-ϵ turbulence model. Here, the multiphase mixture model incorporates the interactions between solid particles (sand) and carrier fluid (water), and a parametric study is conducted to study the effects of input volumetric flow rate, nozzle convergence angle, particle size, and solid volume fraction on slurry transport efficiency. The computational fluid dynamic simulations are conducted to predict the performance characteristics, which are then validated against literature data. The realizable k-ɛ turbulence model is implemented for the turbulence modeling. The pressure drop is compared with the literature's result of slurry transport through pipelines. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the AJP in various operational conditions, providing insights into good operation for enhanced slurry transport in efficient mining. This study contributes to an interpretation of slurry transport in complex pump systems, with implications for applications in mining, dredging, and other industries where efficient material transport is critical.