Towards Modelling a Diphasic Flow Using the CFD Technique to Achieve a Digital Twin of a Phosphate Slurry Piping Process

Abstract

This work concerns the transport of phosphate ores in the context of an industry 4.0. The process begins with the extraction of the ore, that is transported as pulp (Water + Phosphate) in a pipeline from the mine to the industrial units for its valorization to fertilizers. The phosphate pulp is transported in batches, separated by batches of water to control the quality and the flow of the pulp. The present work aims at developing and assessing a numerical model for solid-liquid mixtures using OpenFoam software, in order to investigate and control the dynamic behaviour of phosphate slurry flows under isothermal conditions. A Eulerian multiphase approach was used, where both liquid and solid phases are considered as continua. The Eulerian model is the most complex and computationally intensive among the multiphase models. It solves a set of momentum and continuity equations for each phase. Coupling is achieved through the pressure and interphase exchange coefficients. To describe particulate flow stresses, the kinetic theory of granular flow (KTGF) was employed. Model validation is demonstrated on a test case of pure sedimentation of suspended particles, for which the concentration profile data is reported in the literature.