Comparing Experimental Results for Large Particle Separation from Non-Newtonian Slurries Using Full and Tapered Bump Arrays

Abstract

To separate particles from carrier fluids arrays of staggered posts inserted into the flow stream can be employed. The smaller particles follow the flow stream while the larger particles move laterally to one side. During flow, the concentration of particulate increases in one direction and decreases in the other crosswise direction. This technique separates the particles from the carrier fluid. Experiments using a slurry with non-Newtonian rheology were conducted to evaluate large particle separation from the non-Newtonian carrier fluid using bump arrays. The bentonite kaolin clay slurry with non-Newtonian rheology was spiked with large diameter inert glass particles. Experiments with flow through lateral displacement arrays evaluated the performance of particle separation using two array configurations: a full array with all posts and a tapered array with posts removed in a triangular portion of the array past the rows of anticipated particle of separation. The posts are staggered posts to promote particle segregation to one side of the flow channel. Using this type of array for removing particles from non-Newtonian yield stress slurries is novel and we present unique results. In this paper, the performance of full and tapered arrays are compared. These results have many industrial applications including removing particles from slurries of nuclear waste. Large particle removal is an important step in waste processing.