Application of high-speed PIV and image processing to measuring particle velocity and concentration in a horizontal pneumatic conveying with dune model

The purpose of this study focuses on analyzing the particle velocity and concentration characteristics in a horizontal pneumatic conveying with dune model, so as to reveal the mechanism of the low conveying velocity and saving-energy conveying. The test pipeline consisted of a horizontal smooth acrylic tube with an inside diameter of 80 mm and a length of about 5 m. The polyethylene particles of density 978 kg/m3 and 952 kg/m3 with diameters of 2.3 and 3.3 mm are used as conveying materials. High-speed PIV was first applied to measure the time-averaged particle velocity and was proven to be an efficient measurement technique in the pneumatic conveying. Then the particle velocity and concentration distributions of three locations were measured at mean air velocities of 12 m/s and 13 m/s and the solid mass flow rates of 0.45 kg/s and 0.43 kg/s. A comparison of the particle velocity and concentration profiles between dune model and non-dune model was performed. It is found that the particle concentration of using dune model becomes higher in the upper part of pipeline and becomes lower near the bottom of pipeline in the acceleration region. The particle velocities of using dune model are clearly higher than that of the conventional pneumatic conveying along pipeline and display a uniform profile at the downstream. It is also clear that the particles can be effectively accelerated by increasing air velocity and impacting the surface of dune model. The effect of dune model on the velocity profile of relatively small particles is larger than that of the larger particles and maintains to the downstream.