Prediction of Black Powder distribution in junctions using the Discrete Phase Model

• Models for solid split at junctions are limited to large particles and dispersed flows.
• The orientation of the branch plays a key role in solid split at junctions.
• The shape of the particles alters the solid split by up to 16%.
• The initial distribution alters the solid split by up to 40%.

The present study consists in simulating turbulent gas–particle flows through pipe junctions under different geometrical and flow conditions. The purpose is to study the effects of the particles' size and orientation of the pipes with different degrees of asymmetry at junctions on phase split. Solid particles can be present in gas transmission networks as contaminants in the form of Black Powder to be eliminated. The simulation based on the standard k-ε turbulence model and the Discrete Phase Model (DPM) showed that the solid phase split can be considered to follow the air flow split closely for Stokes numbers small enough than unity (St = 0.2). While for intermediate Stokes numbers (St = 1) and slightly higher than unity (St = 5), the particles gain some independence from the gaseous phase and for the later, the pipe orientation plays a significant role. Effects of the shape of the particles and their initial positions at the inlet are also considered.

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