CFD-DEM analysis of hydraulic conveying of non-spherical particles through a vertical-bend-horizontal pipeline

In this study, an in-depth analysis of elbow wear is performed with the assistance of a wear model by combining computational fluid dynamics with the discrete element method. After validation, a vertical–bend–horizontal pipeline is simulated with non-spherical particles: φ = 1, 0.9451, 0.8048, and 0.7433. The simulation results are used to evaluate the effects of sphericity on flows, forces, and wall erosion. The results indicate that the solid particle concentration at the center of the vertical tube increases with decreasing particle sphericity. Moreover, as particle sphericity in the pipeline decreases under the same conveying environment, the conveying velocity increases, the fluid flow rate decreases, and the kinetic energy conversion rate of the liquid and solid phases increases. Accordingly, the pressure drop of the particles in the pipe decreases with decreasing sphericity. Furthermore, the particle shape significantly affects the forces on the particles and walls as well as the wall erosion.