Prediction of acceleration length in turbulent gas-solid flows

CFD investigation for gas-solid flows in a horizontal pipe was performed using Euler-Euler approach or two-fluid model and accounting for four-way coupling. Calibration of the numerical model is obtained by confirming the numerical predictions with published experimental data. Based upon the axial profiles of the pressure gradient, the authors investigated the acceleration length for different particle properties and loadings. It is found that acceleration length increases generally with increasing particulate loading and/or decreasing gas phase mean flow velocity. However, the variations of acceleration length with particle diameter are quite different under different operating conditions. Finally, an empirical correlation for acceleration length (La) is proposed, which contains two terms: the first-term matches with the entrance length for gas only flow; whereas the second term is regarded as the enhancement due to addition of solids to gas flow. The accuracy of the correlation is approximately +/- 11%. (C) 2014 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier B. V. and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.