Modelling of vertical pneumatic-conveying hydrodynamics

Abstract A finite-domain procedure for simulating the hydrodynamics of vertical pneumatic conveying is presented. A parametric study considering six different specifications for particles and 41 different operating conditions has been carried out. Predictions, which have been obtained using two different empirical correlations for the description of the interphase momentum transfer and three different empirical correlations for the description of the solid-to-wall friction, have been compared with experimental data from the literature. It is concluded that in dilute transport situations realistic predictions of pressure drop, particle holdup, and of choking behavior can be made. Finally, a calibration procedure is proposed for fitting the calculated to the experimental data of vertical pneumatic conveying.