Enhanced Flow Characteristics of Coal-water Slurry: Rheological and Pressure Drop Analysis of an Anionic Surfactant Mixture in Pipeline Transport

Abstract

The effect of a cost-effective blend of anionic surfactants comprising STPP:PAA:SS with proportions of 0.4:0.4:0.2, added at concentrations of (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.) (relative to dry solids), on the improved transportation of coal-water slurry through pipeline was investigated in two stages. Initially, the rheology properties of the CWS, including apparent viscosity, yield stress, and flow behavior were analyzed at a shear rate range of (Formula presented.) with dry solid contents of (Formula presented.), (Formula presented.), and (Formula presented.). Subsequently, the impact of this anionic mixture on the pressure drop of the CWS, with a dry solids content of (Formula presented.) was evaluated across three sections of a laboratory-scale closed-loop pipeline under six flow velocities ((Formula presented.), and (Formula presented.)). The incorporation of the anionic mixture was found to significantly improve the rheological characteristics of the CWS regardless of the dry solids concentration, resulting in a reduction of the apparent viscosity ranging between (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.), and a decrease of the yield stress ranging between (Formula presented.) an (Formula presented.) at an additive concentration of (Formula presented.). Under the same additive concentration, the overall pressure drop of the CWS was reduced by an average of (Formula presented.), while a more pronounced reduction of the pressure drop by (Formula presented.) was recorded at the U-bend section of the pipeline.

Department(s)

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

anionic surfactants; Coal water slurry; pressure drop; slurry pipeline; slurry rheology

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

1939-2702; 1939-2699

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2026 Taylor and Francis Group; Taylor and Francis, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Jan 2025

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