Effects of an electrostatic field in pneumatic conveying of granular materials through inclined and vertical pipes

The pneumatic transport of granular materials through an inclined and vertical pipe in the presence of an electrostatic field was studied numerically using the discrete element method (DEM) coupled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and a simple electrostatic field model. The simulation outputs corresponded well with previously reported experimental observations and measurements carried out using electrical capacitance tomography and high-speed camera techniques in the present study. The eroding dunes and annular flow regimes, observed experimentally by previous research workers in inclined and vertical pneumatic conveying, respectively, were reproduced computationally by incorporating a simplified electrostatic field model into the CFD–DEM method. The flow behaviours of solid particles in these regimes obtained from the simulations were validated quantitatively by experimental observations and measurements. In the presence of a mild electrostatic field, reversed flow of particles was seen in a dense region close to the bottom wall of the inclined conveying pipe and forward flow in a more dilute region in the space above. At sufficiently high field strengths, complete backflow of solids in the inclined pipe may be observed and a higher inlet gas velocity would be required to sustain a net positive flow along the pipe. However, this may be at the expense of a larger pressure drop over the entire conveying line. In addition, the time required for a steady state to be attained whereby the solids flow rate remains substantially constant with respect to time was also dependent on the amount of electrostatic effects present within the system. The transient period was observed to be longer when the electrostatic field strength was higher. Finally, a flow map or phase diagram was proposed in the present study as a useful reference for designers of inclined pneumatic conveying systems and a means for a better understanding of such systems.