Adjust interaction in carbonaceous particulate water slurry system to control separation performance by Ultrasound

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of ultrasonic treatment on the transport performance of carbonaceous particulate water slurry (PWS) by correlating microscopic and surface-level particle properties with macroscopic rheological behavior. Through experimental characterization, the changes in crystallization properties, surface functional groups, and zeta potential of carbonaceous particles were analyzed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying viscosity and fluidity variations in PWS. The results show that short-term ultrasonic treatment significantly increases the absolute zeta potential of carbonaceous particles, reducing agglomeration and improving slurry fluidity. For instance, three minutes of ultrasonic treatment at 20 kHz increased the zeta potential from −20 mV to −45.9 mV, while prolonged treatment reversed this effect. At a shear rate of 10 s⁻¹ , 40 kHz ultrasonic treatment reduced viscosity by 25.99 % compared to 20 kHz. However, excessive ultrasonic irradiation led to the reformation of large agglomerates, raising viscosity. These findings reveal that the alteration of surface properties, such as zeta potential, directly influences macroscopic behaviors like viscosity, providing new insights into the mechanisms of ultrasonic modification. This work offers theoretical and technical support for optimizing the solid-liquid separation and transport performance of PWS.