Numerical Study of Pneumatic Conveying of Nonspherical Wet Particles in Pipeline Elbow

Abstract

This study adopts the CFD–DEM–WEAR method to study the pneumatic conveying mechanism of wet particles with different sphericity in a vertical–elbow–horizontal pipeline in order to explore the effects of different particle moisture content, sphericity, and inlet air velocity on the pneumatic conveying efficiency and flow characteristics of wet particles in pipelines. Through the study of flow pattern, particle velocity, pressure drop, particle distribution, and wear, the operating mechanism of pneumatic conveying of wet particles under different conditions is analyzed at macro and micro levels. The results show that as the moisture content increases, the transport speed of wet particles in the pipeline gradually slows down, and the wear depth of the elbow gradually increases; while as the sphericity increases, the speed change of wet particles in the elbow part of the pipeline gradually decreases, and the wear depth of the elbow gradually decreases.