The pipeline flow of capsules: Part 1: The concept of capsule pipelining

Pipelining science and technology may be regarded as developing through several generations, the first two being fluid and slurry pipelining, respectively. Third generation pipelining in which it may be possible to extend the practice and economies of such transportation methods to an even wider spectrum of commodities may be defined as the flow of materials in capsule forms, as massive rigid or semi-rigid segments of the supporting fluid. The flow of such capsule forms is recognized as a flow configuration which is stable, being normally encountered in the flow of equal-density immiscible fluids over a wide range of conditions. Because the capsule forms occupy appreciably less than the total cross-sectional area of the pipe, they move at a velocity greater than the average over-all velocity. In addition, the pressure gradient of a stream in turbulent flow tends to be reduced, rather than increased, by the presence of capsule forms. La science et technique des transports par pipeline peut ětre consideree comme s'acheminant vers une troisieme generation (les deux premieres s'appliquant aux fluides et aux suspensions) dans laquelle il sera possible d'accroǐtre les avantages pratiques et economiques de ce mode de transport en confinant des materiaux dans des capsules ou sous forme de segments rigides ou semi-rigides du fluide continu. L'ecoulement sous forme capsulaire, normallement obtenu avec des fluides immiscibles de densite egale, donne une configuration stable de l'ecoulement. La vitesse d'ecoulement des capsules est plus grande que celle de la masse du fluide puisqu'elles occupent une section moindre que celle du tuyau. De plus, la perte de charge en regime turbulent tend a diminuer en presence des capsules.