Modeling fluid-particle interactions in flowing film type gravity concentrators

Abstract

Understanding of particle motion through water and the particle sedimentation as well as distribution mechanism in an open channel flow is of considerable engineering importance. In an effort to test the extent to which fundamental fluid mechanics can provide a prediction of particle concentration profile and the fluid velocity profile, a study on a simple inclined rectangular channel has been carried out using glass bead and ilmenite mixtures at various particle concentrations and flow rates. Great care was taken to devise a flow splitter at the end of the channel that permitted accurate measurement of the fluid flow profile and collection of slurry samples, allowing evaluation of the particle species concentration profiles for model validation purpose. The resulting predictions of particle separation are shown to be a strong function of the settling velocities of the particles used and the resulting predictions of particle separation are remarkably good, which ultimately validates the modelling methodology.