SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of pitch and length of three-lobed helical pipe on swirl flow characteristics in pneumatic conveying pipeline

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A three-lobed helical pipe was installed downstream of the bend of a vertical-horizontal pneumatic pipeline. The swirl characteristics under different helical pipe structures were investigated. Results show that: (a) the maximum velocity region rotates quasiperiodically, and the smaller the pitch, the faster the rotation; (b) the 3D morphological changes of the axial velocity distribution in downstream sections are similar: from an arch to a pit and finally to a uniform flat top. The tangential velocity appears as a Rankine vortex near the wall; (c) the swirl decays rapidly along the downstream. The initial swirl intensity, proportional to the helical pipe length, increases first and then decreases with decreasing pitch, whereas the structural parameters have minimal effect on the swirl decay rate; (d) the helical tube remarkably increases the system energy consumption, and the total pressure drop is inversely proportional to the pitch and proportional to the length.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price includes VAT (Spain)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ρ g :

Density

u :

Gas velocity

P :

Pressure

τ :

Local stress tensor

i :

The direction of the cartesian coordinate

k :

Turbulent kinetic energy

ε :

Turbulent dissipation rate

μ :

Dynamic viscosity

μ t :

Turbulent viscosity

V :

Kinematic viscosity

S :

Dimensionless swirl number

R :

Pipe radius

u 1 :

Pipe axial velocity component

u 3 :

Pipe tangential velocity component

β :

Decay rate

S 0 :

Initial swirl strength

D :

Pipe diameter

X :

The distance from the exit of the swirl tube

P*:

Dimensionless total pressure

V in :

Inlet superficial gas velocity

ΔP *s :

Dimensionless total pressure drop of the swirl conveying

ΔP *o :

Dimensionless total pressure drop of straight pipe

References

  1. S. Fokeer, S. Kingman, I. Lowndes and A. Reynolds, Characterisation of the cross sectional particle concentration distribution in horizontal dilute flow conveying—a review, Chem. Eng. Process, 43(6) (2004) 677–691.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. H. Li and Y. Tomita, Particle velocity and concentration characteristics in a horizontal dilute swirling flow pneumatic conveying, Powder Technol., 107 (2000) 144–152.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Y. Ji, Y. T. Hao, N. Yi, T. Y. Guan and D. R. Gao, Particle flow regime in a swirling pneumatic conveying system, Powder Technol., 401 (2022) 117328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. C. Su, Z. Wu, H. Xu and L. Wang, Analysis of influencing factors of pneumatic flow enhancement of pumped concrete based on discrete element method, Front. Earth Sci., 10 (2022) 968085.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. X. M. Xu, L. Wang, Y. Y. Zhang, Y. X. Li, X. X. Meng, P. G. Jiang and C. Y. **a, Characterization of flow field of swirling flow conveying in bulk grain pipeline based on gas-solid multiphase coupling, J. Food Process Eng., 46(1) (2022) 14199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. R. Wood, T. F. Jones, N. J. Miles and J. Ganeshalingham, Upstream swirl-induction for reduction of erosion damage from slurries in pipeline bends, Wear, 250 (2001) 770–778.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. H. Li and Y. Tomita, Experimental study of swirling flow pneumatic conveying system in a horizontal pipeline, J. Fluid Eng.-T ASME., 118 (1996) 526–530.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. H. Li and Y. Tomita, Experimental study of swirling flow pneumatic conveying system in a vertical pipeline, J. Fluids Eng-T ASME, 120 (1998) 200–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. M. Pashtrapanska, J. Jovanović, H. Lienhart and F. Durst, Turbulence measurements in a swirling pipe flow, Exp. Fluids, 41 (2006) 813–827.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. L. Dong and A. Rinoshika, Comparison between rotation swirler and non-rotation swirler in a horizontal swirling flow pneumatic conveying, Powder Technol., 346 (2019) 396–402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. K. A. Ibrahim, M. H. Hamed, W. A. El-Askary and S. M. El-Behery, Swirling gas–solid flow through pneumatic conveying dryer, Powder Technol., 235 (2013) 500–515.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. J. P. Li, F. Zhou, D. L. Yang, B. C. Yu and Y. Z. Li, Effect of swirling flow on large coal particle pneumatic conveying, Powder Technol., 362 (2020) 745–758.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. J. Pruvost, J. Legrand, P. Legentihomme and L. Doubliez, Particle image velocity investigation of the flow-field of a 3D turbulent annular swirl decaying flow induced by means of a tangential inlet, Exp. Fluids, 29 (2000) 291–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. A. H. Algifri and R. K. Bhardwaj, Prediction of the heat transfer for decaying turbulent swirl flow in a tube, Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 28(9) (1985) 1637–1643.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. J. W. Zhou, X. M. Han, S. X. **g and Y. Liu, Efficiency and stability of lump coal particles swirling flow pneumatic conveying system, Chem. Eng. Res. Des., 157 (2020) 92–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. J. W. Zhou, C. L. Du, S. Y. Liu and L. Yu, Comparison of three types of swirling generators in coarse particle pneumatic conveying using CFD-DEM simulation, Powder Technol., 301 (2016) 1309–1320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. A. Arsalanloo and M. Abbasalizadeh, Numerical study on deposition of particles in a 90° bend in the presence of swirling flow using Eulerian-Lagrangian method, Powder Technol., 320 (2017) 285–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. X. J. Huang and J. Z. Dong, An investigation of swirl flow field in in pneumatic conveying duct, J. Aerosp. Power, 8(3) (1993) 275–278.

    Google Scholar 

  19. S. Fokeer, I. Lowndes and S. Kingman, An experimental investigation of pneumatic swirl flow induced by a three lobed helical pipe, Int. J. Heat Fluid FL, 30 (2009) 369–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. S. Fokeer, I. Lowndes and D. M. Hargreaves, Numerical modeling of swirl flow induced by a three-lobed helical pipe, Chem. Eng. Process, 49 (2010) 536–546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. H. Ghafori and H. R. Ebrahimi, Numerical and experimental study of an innovative pipeline design in a granular pneumatic-conveying system, Particuology, 38 (2018) 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. G. Li, P. Hall, N. Miles and T. Wu, Improving the efficiency of ‘Clean-In-Place’ procedures using a four-lobed swirl pipe: a numerical investigation, Comput. Fluids, 108 (2015) 116–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Z. Y. Zhou, S. B. Kuang, K. W. Chu and A. B. Yu, Discrete particle simulation of particle-fluid flow: model formulations and their applicability, J. Fluid Mech., 661 (2010) 482–510.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  24. T. H. Shih, W. W. Liou, A. Shabbir, Z. Yang and J. Zhu, A new k-ε eddy viscosity model for high Reynolds number turbulent flows, Comput. Fluids, 24(3) (1995) 227–238.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. R. R. Parchen and W. Steenbergen, An experimental and numerical study of turbulent swirling pipe flows, J. Fluid Eng.-T ASME., 120 (1998) 54–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. C. Ariyaratne, Design and optimisation of swirl pipes and transition geometries for slurry transport, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Nottingham, England (2005).

    Google Scholar 

  27. J. Ganeshalingam, Swirl induction for improved solid–liquid flow in pipes, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Nottingham, England (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  28. W. Steenbergen and J. Voskamp, The rate of decay of swirl in turbulent pipe flow, Flow Meas. Instrum., 9(2) (1998) 67–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32201676, No. 52206058).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018, China

    Haili Zhou, Jiayuan Hu & Kexin Wu

  2. Key Laboratory of Agricultural Equipment for Hilly and Mountainous Areas in Southeastern China (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou, 310018, China

    Haili Zhou

Authors
  1. Haili Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jiayuan Hu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kexin Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kexin Wu.

Additional information

Haili Zhou received her Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Yanshan University, China, in June 2019. Currently, Dr. Zhou is working as an Associate Professor at the Department of Mechanical Design and Manufacturing in the School of Mechanical Engineering in Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, China. Her research interests involve gas-solid two-phase flow simulation, pneumatic conveying, and agricultural machinery design.

Kexin Wu received the Ph.D. degree in the major of Mechanical Engineering from Andong National University, Republic of Korea, in February 2021. Currently, Dr. Wu is working as an Associate Professor at the Department of Energy and Power Engineering in the School of Mechanical Engineering in Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, China. His research interests focus on internal flow for aerospace and deep-sea mining.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhou, H., Hu, J. & Wu, K. Effect of pitch and length of three-lobed helical pipe on swirl flow characteristics in pneumatic conveying pipeline. J Mech Sci Technol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-024-0717-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-024-0717-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation