Experimental study on pressure drop and heat transfer in pipelines for brine based ice slurry. Part I: Operational parameters correlations

Ice slurry flow through horizontal pipes is studied experimentally in order to find out its heat transfer and isothermal friction properties. Using 9% NaCl brine as the carrier fluid, different flow conditions are discussed with a view to analyse each involved variable. In this Part I, experimental data are directly correlated and easy-to-use expressions for the Darcy friction factor and the Nusselt number were obtained as functions of non-dimensional parameters expressing flow and geometrical properties. The most remarkable conclusion obtained is a clear influence of the ice particle–pipe diameter ratio in the pressure drop parameters, not previously taken into account, which must be confirmed in heat transfer process. The thermal and hydraulic performance of ice slurry flowing through corrugated pipes is also analysed showing, with regard to smooth pipe, the same behaviour in pressure drop and opposite behaviour in heat transfer.