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TitleComputational fluid dynamics modeling of deposition of oil sand slurry into mature fine tailings
Publication TypeThesis
Year of Publication2009
AuthorsYang, J.
Pagination369 pages
PublisherUniversity of Alberta Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Place PublishedEdmonton, AB
Publication Languageeng
Keywordsmodel, modeling, tailings, UofA
Abstract

The objective of this research program is to study the feasibility of using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach to the modeling of dense slurry flow with a special emphasis on oil sand slurry inflow into oil sands mature fine tailings (MFT). An experimental program is established to measure the viscosity and the yield stress of the slurry with various solids and fines contents. The viscosity and yield stress of the slurry are curve fitted using Power Law model and Herschel-Bulkley model. Then the flow curve for pure MFT is applied in the CFD simulation of the viscosity and yield stress measurements using the single phase model in CFX-10. The simulated torques reasonably agree with those from experiments. Sedimentation process for bidisperse and polydisperse suspension from literature are simulated using MFIX and FLUENT. Simulation results indicate that the Euler-Euler Model in those two CFD packages is capable of modeling the sedimentation process of the bidisperse and polydisperse suspension. Then the settling process of the segregating and non-segregating oil sand tailing slurry is selected to test the capability of MFIX, FLUENT-6 and CFX-10. The results show that the transient process of the sedimentation, therefore the segregation, of the tailing slurry can not be captured by those models if the viscosity of the water phase is not changed to reflect the interaction between clay particles and the water phase.

URLhttp://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/thesescanada/vol2/002/NR55836.PDF
Active Link

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/566109910

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Citation Key51903

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