EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON CYLINDRICAL PARTICLE MOVEMENT IN A SLURRY PUMP GUIDE VANE

To investigate the movement characteristics of cylindrical particles within a slurry pump, the particle trajectories, particle distributions, particle velocity, and passing time of particles in the guide vane are tested by high speed photography. The test results indicate that the pump performance decreases and the wear of the blade pressure side deteriorates with the increase of cylindrical particle densities. The particles primarily flow into the guide vanes from the suction side and flow out from the pressure side. The velocity loss of particles in the guide vanes increases, and the time for particles passing through the guide vanes increases with particle densities. As the cylindrical particle concentrations increase, the pump performance decreases, and the wear of the blade pressure side deteriorates. Additionally, the total velocity loss of particles in the guide vane increases, and the time for particles passing through the guide vane increases with concentrations. Compared with spherical particles, the pump performance is better when the pump conveys cylindrical particles, and the cylindrical particles are more likely to wear the middle of the guide vane flow channel. The particles mainly flow into the guide vanes from the suction side and flow out from the pressure side. The velocity loss of cylindrical particles in the guide vane is smaller than that of the spherical particles. The time of cylindrical particles passing through the guide vane is shorter than that of the spherical particles.