Enhanced Flowability and Slurry Characteristics of Limestone-water Suspensions Through the Integration of Coarse Particles and a Natural Additive

Abstract

Mineral slurry preparation and pipeline transport require careful particle size distribution and additive selection to ensure cost-effective and reliable transportation. The research described here was aimed to better understand the flow behavior of a limestone sample by combining coarse and fine particles and a low-cost natural additive, Saponin, derived from Sapindus laurifolia. Four distinct bi-modal suspension samples were formed using various mixtures of limestone samples with sizes varying from 0–53 and 75–106 µm. The rheological characteristics of the suspension were investigated at shear rates of 50 to 500 s⁻¹ for solid concentrations 40–70% by weight. The additive’s critical micelle concentration was found to be 1.8 weight percent. The Hershel-Bulkley model fits the experimental data the best. The appropriate proportion of coarse particles was discovered to be 30% based on critical factors such as apparent viscosity and pressure drop. The addition of the surfactant reduced the surface tension, increased the wettability, and decreased the particle-particle interaction to stabilize the limestone-water suspension.

Keywords:

• apparent viscosity
• limestone suspension
• natural additive
• pressure drop
• rheology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The authors are thankful to the Science & Engineering Research Board (SERB), New Delhi, an autonomous organization under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), India, for providing financial support for carrying out this study (Grant number: CRG/2020/001520).