Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 1

DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Slurry Transportation
An Overview
Robert Cooke
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop
January 14-18, 2008
Orlando, Florida
PhD, Member of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration
Fellow of the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
Paterson & Cooke, Denver Colorado
RobertC@PatersonCooke.com, Tel 303 867 2264
1580 Lincoln Street, Suite 1000, Denver CO 80203
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Presentation Outline
Slurry properties
System applications
Design considerations for yield stress slurries
Engineering slurry systems
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 2
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Slurry Properties
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
0 %
10 %
20 %
30 %
40 %
50 %
60 %
70 %
80 %
90 %
100 %
1 m 10 m 100 m 1000 m 10000 m
Particle Size
C
u
m
u
l
a
t
i
v
e
P
e
r
c
e
n
t
a
g
e
P
a
s
s
in
g
Tailings Kimberlite Sand
Kimberlite Heavy Mineral Concentrate Platinum Tailings
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 3
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
100 Pa 200 Pa
320 Pa
500 Pa
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 4
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
SystemApplications: Mineral Industry
Mineral Processing Mining
Product Transportation
Surface Tailings
Underground Backfill
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Hydraulic Ore Hoisting
2 rocks
250 t/h
3300 feet vertical
3625 PSI (250 bar)
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 5
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Marine Mining
16 rocks
1000 t/h
600 feet vertical
53 000 GPM
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Mineral Processing
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 6
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Mineral Processing
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Mineral Processing
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 7
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Mineral Processing
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 100 200 300 400 500 600
Flow Rate (m3/h)
H
e
a
d
(
m
J
P
d
i
s
c
h
a
r
g
e
s
l
u
r
r
y
)
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Concentrate Transport
PIPELINE AVAILABILITY
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02
%
Required to transport 15 MT/Year @ 68 % solids
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 8
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Paste and Thickened Tailings
100
Slurry
Cake
Solids Concentration (%)
Y
i
e
l
d
S
t
r
e
s
s
(
P
a
)
Paste
Thickened Tailings
20
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Surface Tailings
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 9
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Surface Tailings
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Thickener technology
Conventional
High Rate
Ultra High Rate
Paste
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 10
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Underground Backfill
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Yield Stress Slurries
Operating velocity
Laminar or turbulent flow
Laminar flow operation
Residual pressure in pipeline
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 11
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
0
2
4
6
8
10
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e
G
r
a
d
i
e
n
t
(
k
P
a
/
m
)
0 1 2 3 4
Mixture Velocity (m/s)
Paste
(47% vol, 71% mass)
Thickened Tailings
(30% vol, 53% mass)
Laminar Flow
Laminar Flow
Turbulent Flow
Clear Water
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Pipeline Velocity (m/s)
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e
G
r
a
d
i
e
n
t
(
k
P
a
/
m
)
150 mm pipe loop data:
Floculated heavy mineral tailings
41%m
40%m
38%m
37%m
35%m
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 12
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Design Considerations: Friction Loss
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Pipeline Velocity (m/s)
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e
G
r
a
d
i
e
n
t
(
k
P
a
/
m
)
150 mm pipe loop data:
Floculated heavy mineral tailings
40% by mass
pH = 6.6
pH = 5.6
L
i
m
e
a
d
d
i
t
i
o
n
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Copper Tailings
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Solids Concentration (%by mass)
S
t
a
t
i
o
n
a
r
y
D
e
p
o
s
i
t
V
e
l
o
c
i
t
y
(
m
/
s
)
150 mm
50 mm
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 13
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Laminar Flow: Particle Settlement
Rugby Limestone pipeline
Laminar flow operation
92 km long, 250 mm diameter
Over 36 hours, 0.106 kPa/m to 0.121 kPa/m
trace 150 m > 2.8% > 300 m
trace 1.1% > 300 m
54.5%m 56.5%m
Discharge Feed
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 14
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Laminar Flow: Particle Settlement
Belovo-Novosibirsk pipeline (Siberia)
Laminar flow operation (stabilized coal)
262 km (164 mile) long, 530 mm diameter
Pipeline blocked during commissioning
Pressure gradient increased with time
Stationary deposit on pipe invert
Instabilities were not observed during loop tests using a 200 mm
pipeline
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Laminar Flow: Particle Settlement
Will particles settle?
Small-scale tests under sheared conditions
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 15
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Laminar Flow: Particle Settlement
-
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%
Percentage > 45 m
H
e
i
g
h
t
(
m
m
)
74.6 s-1 37.3 s-1
Initial distribution of
+ 45 m particles
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Laminar Flow: Particle Settlement
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 16
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008

K
B

K
B

o
V
Laminar Flow: Particle Settlement
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Laminar Flow: Particle Settlement
Copper Tailings
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Solids Concentration (%by mass)
S
t
a
t
i
o
n
a
r
y
D
e
p
o
s
i
t
V
e
l
o
c
i
t
y
(
m
/
s
)
150 mm
50 mm
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 17
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Laminar Flow: Particle Settlement
Under what conditions will the particles be transported?
Thomas (1977)
Deposition occurs at a constant pressure gradient regardless of pipe
size.
Gillies et al (1999)
Pressure gradient of about 2 kPa/m required to transport sand
particles in a viscous Newtonian oil.
Gillies et al (2007)
Propose that the criterion for transport is based on the ratio of the
mean wall shear stress to the mean surficial particle stress.
This is an area of ongoing research
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Residual Pressure
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
07:55:12 08:24:00 08:52:48 09:21:36 09:50:24 10:19:12 10:48:00
Time
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e
(
M
P
a
)
.
Pressure before valve station
Pressure after valve station
1st bypass valve open
main valve open
2nd bypass valve open
All valves closed
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 18
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Engineering Slurry Systems
Design criteria / basis
Slurry test requirements
Minor losses
Pump performance
Hydraulic tools
System curve
Hydraulic gradeline
Transient conditions
P&ID Review
Pigging
Instrumentation
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Design Criteria / Basis
Client/owner requirements
Site conditions
Material properties
Design methodology
Standard and codes
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 19
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Slurry Test Requirements
Information regarding the design of a slurry system is
based on knowledge of the slurry flow behavior.
The sources of information include:
Practical experience
Empirical correlations or information
Two layer predictive models
Historical test data
Specially commissioned project specific test work
Yield stress slurries:
There is no method for predicting the rheology of high concentration
slurries.
The behavior of flocculated slurries is complex.
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
When is Test Work Required?
Test work is expensive:
Sample collection (for green fields projects this may require that
samples are generated from ore).
Time delays to project.
Actual test work costs.
Test work reduces risk:
Reduced design factors (over design)
Reduced potential for design failures or extensive post
commissioning modifications
It is the responsibility of the Designer to balance
Information Required versus Risk
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 20
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Minor Losses
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Pump Peformance
Performance derating
Pump suction conditions
Pump blockage
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 21
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Centrifugal Pump Explosions
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Centrifugal Pump Explosions
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 22
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Flow Rate
H
e
a
d
Pipeline system curve
S
t
a
t
i
c
H
Centrifugal pump head-discharge curve
Operating Point
Q
w
H
w
SystemCurve
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Hydraulic Gradeline
Valve loss
Entrance loss
Exit loss
T
O
T
A
L
P
U
M
P
H
E
A
D
S
T
A
T
I
C
H
E
A
D
H
y
d
r
a
u
l
i
c
H
e
a
d
P = gh
E
n
e
rg
y
l in
e
H
y
d
ra
u
li c
g
r
a
d
e
l in
e
V
e
l
o
c
i
t
y
H
e
a
d
V
2
/
2
g
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 23
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Choke Station
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 24
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
P&IDReview
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Pigs
Paterson & Cooke 2008 Page 25
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Instrumentation
Simple
Control and Measure
DOE Slurry Retrieval, Pipeline Transport & Plugging and Mixing Workshop, January 2008
Conclusion
The conviction was that the key to the design
of slurry systems which would operate
reliably lay, not in the selection of exotic
materials or the design of special equipment,
but in the understanding and control of the
slurry environment
EJ Wasp