Effects of Bubbles and Concentration of Aqueous Solution on Flow Pattern of Ice Slurry

Abstract

We investigated the flow pattern of ice slurry flowing in a horizontal pipe, changing the flow velocity and IPF as parameters. In this study, we proposed original flow patterns suitable for ice slurry flow. Effects of bubbles and agglomeration of ice particles were considered as a major factor. As a result, the flow pattern of ice slurry can be divided to 3 patterns. When the flow velocity and IPF are high, it forms homogeneous flow, in which ice particles are homogeneously dispersed. It was found that ice slurry containing bubbles is easy to form homogeneous flow. We suppose that this is the effect of the repulsive force between the bubbles adhering the ice particles in the ice slurry. It forms cluster flow, when the ethanol concentration of the solution in the ice slurry is low, because agglomeration force of ice particles increases. It was also found that ice slurry containing bubbles is easy to form homogeneous flow, comparing with it without bubbles, even when the ethanol concentration of the solution is the same, under the same condition (flow velocity and IPF). We suppose that the agglomeration forms due to the contacts of ice particles. However, the contacts are inhibited when the bubbles are contained in the ice slurry, because of the repulsive force of the bubbles, and the agglomeration of the particles are also inhibited.