Evaluating the Head Loss of Coal Ash Slurry Pipelines at High Solids Concentrations Using Rheological Data for Mine Backfilling

Abstract

This article presents the results of characterization and rheological studies conducted on fly ash and fly ash-bottom ash mixture samples at high solids concentration collected from an Indian Thermal Power Plant. The rheological characteristics of the ash-water slurries in the concentration range of 60–65% by weight were best described by a pseudo-plastic power law model. Using the power law flow parameters obtained from the rheological data, a non-Newtonian head loss model was employed to evaluate the head loss of ash slurry pipelines for mine backfilling purpose.

Keywords:

• bottom ash
• fly ash
• high concentration slurry
• mine backfilling
• rheology

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The authors are grateful to Professor B. K. Mishra, Director, Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar for giving permission to publish the article.