(443b) Acquisition of Non-Intrusive, Benchmark Experimental Data for Particle-Laden Flows Using Laser Doppler Velocimetry

Current understanding of two-phase flow is limited to the collision dominated and the viscous dominated regimes, characterized by high and low Stokes numbers respectively. The intermediate regime, where both inertia and viscous effects are important is not so well understood despite its widespread presence in industrial applications. This is partly due to a lack of detailed experimental data in the literature that makes the validation of engineering models impossible. The experiments presented in this work attempt to start closing this gap in knowledge by characterizing slurry flows at different velocities, particles concentrations and particle sizes in the intermediate Stokes regime. The experiments are carried out in a pilot scale facility in a vertical pipe that allows for axisymmetric flow, ideal for model validation. Velocity data is acquire using Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV) and Phase Doppler Anemometry (PDA), which are non-intrusive highly accurate techniques. Outcomes of the experiments include mean and fluctuating velocities, pressure drops, and flow rates for the two phases. The benchmark data obtained from this work will assist in the development and validation of engineering models that can help to accurately design and control processes where two-phase flows are present.