POTENTIAL OF HELICALLY RIBBED PIPES FOR SOLIDS TRANSPORT

Hydraulic data have been obtained for the transport of one type of uniformly graded sand in nominal 6-inch-diameter spirally ribbed ABS pipes with pitch-to-diameter ratios varying from 1. 8 to 11 and also for a smooth pipe. The pitch-to-diameter ratio requiring the minimum specific energy consumption was found to be about 8 for this particular type of sand. Similarly experiments were carried out with the same sand in a smooth 2-inch acrylic pipe and in 2-inch acrylic pipes with pitch-to-diameter ratios of 4. 8, 718 and 11. Again the pipe with the pitch-to-diameter ratio of 7. 8 was found to be the most efficient hydraulically for transportation of the sand slurry. The possible applications of ribbed pipes are discussed briefly.