Pipe flow of sphere suspensions having a power-law-dependent fluid matrix

Measurement and prediction of suspension flow properties in cylindrical geometries represent a significant challenge for both the experimentalist and modeler. In this paper, results of a computational study of the suspension flow in a pipe geometry using a computational method based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics are presented. Flow fields and the spatial distribution of solid spherical inclusions for the case of pipe flow will be shown as a function of the matrix fluid properties (including Newtonian, shear thinning, and shear thickening), driving force, and volume fraction of particles. Simulation results of suspension flow are consistent with a previous work of suspensions with a Newtonian fluid matrix. A strong effective slip phenomenon is shown for the case of a suspension with a shear thinning fluid matrix despite adherence to no-slip boundary conditions. A simple scaling ansatz is given to describe the change of flow rate with driving force. At a volume fraction of approximately 40 % and higher, there is strong evidence of ordering. This feature is illuminated using a small-angle scattering algorithm and compared to experimental studies using neutron scattering. Issues related to proper experimental characterization of rheological properties for pumping and printing of cement-based materials are discussed.Measurement and prediction of suspension flow properties in cylindrical geometries represent a significant challenge for both the experimentalist and modeler. In this paper, results of a computational study of the suspension flow in a pipe geometry using a computational method based on the smoothed particle hydrodynamics are presented. Flow fields and the spatial distribution of solid spherical inclusions for the case of pipe flow will be shown as a function of the matrix fluid properties (including Newtonian, shear thinning, and shear thickening), driving force, and volume fraction of particles. Simulation results of suspension flow are consistent with a previous work of suspensions with a Newtonian fluid matrix. A strong effective slip phenomenon is shown for the case of a suspension with a shear thinning fluid matrix despite adherence to no-slip boundary conditions. A simple scaling ansatz is given to describe the change of flow rate with driving force. At a volume fraction of approximately 40 % and ...