This document provides details of a research project investigating pneumatic conveying of fly ash from coal power plants. The objectives are to predict air flow requirements, pressure drops, and optimize system design. Experimental work includes characterizing fly ash properties and conducting conveying tests. Computational work involves simulating flow using the discrete element method. The current work describes designing and installing orifice flow meters to measure air flow rates for the project, including selecting pipe sizes, flow conditioner design, orifice plate fabrication, and pressure tapping installation. References are provided on pneumatic conveying modeling and experimental methods.

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Khusro Kamaluddin (801783008)
Under the supervision of
Dr. S.S. Mallick (Associate Professor)
Dr. Anu Mittal (Assistant Professor)
Mechanical Engineering Department
Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala
An Investigation into the Flow
Mechanism of Gas-Solids Flow
of Fine and Dusty Powders

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Introduction
Title : “On Developing Reliable Scale-up Procedures and Design
Optimization for Pneumatic Fly Ash Conveying Systems for 500/800/1000
MW Units”
Funding Agency: National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC)
Objectives:
• To predict minimum air flow rate requirement in conveying system.
• To predict pressure drop and optimum operating point on conveying
characteristics.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of heaters and fluidizing air on
flowability of fly ash.
• Preparation of a technical specification for 500/800/1000 MW plants.
• Annual power production of India for the fiscal year 2017-18 was 183,000
GWh.
• Out of which coal based power plant produced 986,591 GWh (i.e. 75.9%)
• The fly ash generation has increased from 68.88 million-ton in 1996-97
to 169.25 million-ton in 2016-17.
• This means Every day about 4.6 Lakh Ton of fly ash is produced in our
coal thermal power plants.
• Fly ash is now a days used for making bricks, cement, roads,
embankments etc.
• Various scientific studies have found that improper handling of fly ash
produced by powerplants has resulted in release of heavy metals such as
Pb, Ni, Cr, Mn, and Fe in the water table.
Improper handling of Fly ash Tennessee, USA

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EDEM Collaboration
• My Co-guide Dr. Anu Mittal was provided a free 3 month EDEM
liscence for the purpose of her post doctoral research.
• This opportunity is provide d by EDEM, UK.
• This liscence and support would be provided by Caezen
Technologies, Bangaluru, Karnataka.
• Caezen Technologies is the authorized distributer of EDEM software
in India.
• I took a 2 day intense training provided by EDEM representative at
T.I.E.T Patiala from 25 to 26 Oct 2018

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DEM Fundamentals
Collision Model
Relation between pre-collision and post-collision translation
and rotational velocities using impulse equations:
I and j refers to the two particles
0&1 refers to before and after collision
R : radius of particle
J : impulse force
x : position vector of particle
v : translational velocity of the particle
ω : rotational velocity of particle
n : unit vector ꓕ to the contact plane
t : tangential unit vector at contact
I : moment of inertia of the particle
Norouzi ,2016

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DEM Fundamentals
Norouzi ,2016

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Literature Review
Application of periodic boundary conditions to
CFD-DEM simulation of gas–solid flow in
pneumatic conveying – S.B. Kuang et al.(2013)
CFD–DEM simulation of turbulence modulation in
horizontal pneumatic conveying – M.Ebrahimi
,M.Crapper (2016)
Axial forces acting on the particles as a function
of distance from particle loading zone
Key Findings:
• In startup section acceleration is because Fparticle-fluid is greater than
Fwall-fluid.
• CFD-DEM model with PBC is valid as long as simulation length is
greater than characteristic length
Schematic illustration of pipes simulated, and their boundary and mesh setups
Exp. Conditions:
Key Findings:
• Turbulent Intensity strongly depends on Cϵ3.
• The method of introducing source term fails to predict details of
turbulent intensity in bot directions, especially at the wall.
Schematic illustration of system used Effect of Cε3 on the vertical profile of turbulence intensity and
comparison between simulation and experimental results

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Need of Work/Objectives
Need for work:
1. The current work does provide method to analyze pneumatic conveying, but
requires high computational power.
2. CFD- DEM coupling is a powerful tool that still remains under-utilized in case of
pneumatic conveying, especially for dense phase pneumatic conveying.
Following are the objectives of my thesis:
1. Design, fabrication and installation of air flow meter in pneumatic conveying
setup for NTPC sponsored project
2. Characterisation of powder for DEM simulations.
3. Simulating the flow on DEM.
4. To validate simulation results against actual flow conditions.

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Activities/Responsibilities in NTPC Project
S.No. Team Title Team Responsibility
1.
Finance, purchase & documentation
(Worked Initially)
• Processing all finance, purchase and bank docs.
• Chasing of suppliers to supply items
• Record of all approved drawings/documents.
2. Sight glass purchase (Complete) •Procurement of sight glass
3.
Instruments and data logger
(Ongoing)
• Delivery, unloading, installation, commissioning of complete data
logger and instrumentation system.
4.
Pneumatic conveying pressure and vacuum
system
(Not Started)
•Delivery, unloading, installation, commissioning of complete
pressure and vacuum stack system (feeder, receiver, bag filter).
5. Civil structure design (Worked Initially) •Design of complete civil structure
6.
Ash characterization and bench scale tests
(Not Started)
• Carry out experiments on weighing, oven/drying, ash
characterization
7.
Pneumatic conveying testing
(Not Started)
• Carry out vacuum conveying tests
• Carry out pressure conveying tests
8.
Ash transport pipes, fittings and auxiliary
connections/pipes/ fittings(Ongoing)
• Delivery, fabrication, unloading, installation, commissioning ash of
pipes, valves and brackets.
• Purchase, supply, installation of auxiliary pipes/valves/fittings,
including sight glass
9. Design and fabrication of orifice flow meters
(Ongoing)
• Design and fabrication of orifice flow meters

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Lab Layout

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Current Work
ARRANGEMENT OF FLOW METERS
P&ID of Pressure Conveying System P&ID of Vacuum Conveying System
Schematic of Flow Measurement in Pressure Conveying System
Schematic of Flow Measurement in
Vacuum Conveying System
Conveying Air
Fluidization Air
0.02 – 0.06 kg/s
0.06 – 0.12 kg/s
0.12 – 0.20 kg/s
0.04 – 0.06 kg/s
0.06 – 0.12 kg/s
0.12 – 0.20 kg/s
Air
FilterNRV
NRV
Isolation
Valves
Isolation
Valves
Ball
Valves
Ball
Valves

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Current Work
IS 1239
SELECTION OF PIPE ID
Material Available:
• 2” Medium Grade Pipe (IS-1239)
• 2. 3” Light Grade Pipe (IS-1239)
For 2 Inch Pipe :
ODMAX = 60.8 mm
Thickness = 3.6 mm
IDMAX = ODMAX – 2 x Thickness
⇒ IDMAX = 53.6 mm
Therefore taking ID = 54 mm for all design calculations.
For 3 Inch Pipe :
ODMAX = 88.7 mm
Thickness = 3.2 mm
IDMAX = ODMAX – 2 x Thickness
⇒ IDMAX = 82.3 mm
Therefore taking ID = 83 mm for all design calculations.
The standards used in the design are :
•ISO 4006:1991
•BS ISO TR 3313:1998
•PD ISO/TR 9464:2008
•BS EN ISO 5167-1:2003
•BS EN ISO 5167-2:2003
Boring of pipe sections

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Current Work
UPSTREAM & DOWNSTREAM LENGTHS
FLOW CONDITIONERS
IS 5167-2 specifies the minimum upstream and downstream
straight pipe distance for orifice meter.
Therefore,
(Ltotal)2Inch ≈ 88 x 54 = 4752 mm
(Ltotal)3Inch ≈ 88 x 83 = 7304 mm
These straight lengths were not possible in the designed lab layout.
Thus we decided to use a flow conditioner to reduce these lengths to acceptable levels.
44 ID 44 ID
Ltotal≈88 ID
Functions of flow conditioner are:
1. To shorten the straight pipe run
2. To restore distorted flow profile
3. To eliminate swirl
17 ID 17 ID
Ltotal≈34 ID
8.5 ID 8.5 ID
After using flow conditioner,
(Ltotal)2Inch ≈ 34 x 54 = 1836 mm
(Ltotal)3Inch ≈ 34 x 83 = 2822 mm

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Current Work
ORIFICE PLATES
The size of orifice plates was selected from the catalogue
of standard orifice plates supplied by Rosemont.
Thus the following size were selected:
2” Orifice Meter : Dia = 107 mm
3” Orifice Meter : Dia = 142 mm
Material: 202 Stainless Steel
Thickness: The thickness is taken to be 3.2 mm for all the
plates.
The bore diameter of the various orifice plates were
calculated previously during the primary stage of design.
Range for plate minimum thickness
Reducing the thickness
Making plates circular from
square pieces
Sized orifice plates
Schematic of orifice plates
Rosenmount product data sheet

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Current Work
PRESSURE TAPPING
Types of Pressure Tappings:
1.Flange Tapping (Considered in ISO 5167)
2.Corner Tapping (Considered in ISO 5167)
3.D and D/2 Tapping (Considered in ISO 5167)
4.Vena Contracta Tapping (Not Considered in ISO 5167)
Allowable tolerance in Location of Tapping:
IDMIN = 54 mm (for 2” Orifice Meter)
∆lD = 0.1 D ≈ 0.1x54 mm = 5.4 mm
∆lD/2 = 0.01 D ≈ 0.01x54 mm = 0.54 mm
Schematic of flanged and D & D/2 tapping with tolerance
Schematic of carrier ring and corner tapping

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Current Work
PRESSURE TAPPING
Clause 5.2.2.7 of ISO 5167 states that :
“The diameter of pressure tappings shall be less
than 0,13D and less than 13 mm.”
Clause 5.2.2.8 of ISO 5167 states that :
“The pressure tappings shall be circular and
cylindrical over a length of at least 2,5 times the
internal diameter of the tapping, measured from the
inner wall of the pipeline.”
For Size and Height of Tapping :
IDMIN = 54 mm (for 2” Orifice Meter)
Dtapping = 0.13 x IDMIN = 0.13x54 mm = 7.02 mm
⇒ Dia of Pressure Tapping is taken as 5 mm for
all the pressure tappings.
Minimum Height of Tapping(Ht(min)) = 2.5 x Dtapping
⇒(Ht(min)) = 2.5x5 mm = 12.5 mm , Ht = 23 mm > 12.5 mm
The height of the tapping is dictated
by the height of the flange so that
during assembly the flange does not
interfere in fitting the transducer.
Making Tapping in Workshop
Schematic of pressure tapping
Tapping in making
Manufactured Product

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Current Work
GENERAL DESIGN
Exploded View
Cutting of pipe sections
Cutting of 190mm round stock for 3” orifice meter

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Current Work
JACK BOLTS
• Provision of 2 diametrically opposite Jack Bolts is
made, both the bolts are on the upstream flange
and the plane made by the axis of the bolts is
perpendicular to the plane of tapping.
• These bolts would prove to be instrumental in
opening the orifice flanges during service of the
orifice meters.
M10x1.75x75 BOLT
Jack Bolts Arrangement
FLANGE BOLTS
• The flange bolts are designed on the basis of
rubber gasket sealing pressure.
• The 2” and the 3” orifice meter flange have 4 and
8 bolts respectively.
• These bolts are GR8.8 Hex Bolt with 2H Heavy
Hex Nut, Length= 4 Inch , Dia = ½ Inch.
• The bolts are a little longer in length so that when
the plates are opened the flanges stay in
alignment.
Flange Bolts Arrangement

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References
• Kuang, S.B., Li, K., Zou, R.P., Pan, R.H. and Yu, A.B., 2013. Application of periodic boundary
conditions to CFD-DEM simulation of gas–solid flow in pneumatic conveying. Chemical
Engineering Science, 93, pp.214-228.
• Ebrahimi, M. and Crapper, M., 2017. CFD–DEM simulation of turbulence modulation in
horizontal pneumatic conveying. Particuology, 31, pp.15-24.
• Sharma, K., Mallick, S.S., Mittal, A. and Pan, R., 2018. On developing improved modelling
for particle velocity and solids friction for fluidized dense-phase pneumatic transport
systems. Powder Technology, 332, pp.41-55.
• Setia, G., Mallick, S.S., Pan, R. and Wypych, P.W., 2016. Modeling solids friction factor for
fluidized dense-phase pneumatic transport of powders using two layer flow theory. Powder
Technology, 294, pp.80-92.
• Mallick, S.S. and Wypych, P.W., 2010. An investigation into modeling of solids friction for
dense-phase pneumatic conveying of powders. Particulate Science and Technology, 28(1),
pp.51-66.
• Mallick, S.S. and Wypych, P.W., 2011. On improving scale-up procedures for dense-phase
pneumatic conveying of powders. Particulate Science and Technology, 29(5), pp.407-427.
• Reader-Harris, M., 2015. Orifice Design. In Orifice Plates and Venturi Tubes (pp. 33-76).
Springer, Cham.

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References
• ISO 4006:1991 : Measurement of fluid flow in closed conduits -- Vocabulary and symbols
• BS ISO TR 3313:1998 : Measurement of fluid flow in closed conduits — Guidelines on the
effects of flow pulsations on flow-measurement instruments
• PD ISO/TR 9464:2008 : Guidelines for the use of ISO 5167:2003
• BS EN ISO 5167-1:2003 : Measurement of fluid flow by means of pressure differential
devices inserted in circular cross-section conduits running full — Part 1: General principles
and requirements
• BS EN ISO 5167-2:2003 : Measurement of fluid flow by means of pressure differential
devices inserted in circular-cross section conduits running full — Part 2: Orifice plates
• Verma, C., Madan, S. and Hussain, A., 2016. Heavy metal contamination of groundwater
due to fly ash disposal of coal-fired thermal power plant, Parichha, Jhansi, India. Cogent
Engineering, 3(1), p.1179243.
• Coutant, C.C., Wasserman, C.S., Chung, M.S., Rubin, D.B. and Manning, M., 1978. Chemistry
and biological hazard of a coal ash seepage stream. Journal (Water Pollution Control
Federation), pp.747-753.
• Centeral Electricity Authority (2017). Report on Fly Ash Generation at Coal/Lignite Based
Thermal Power Stations and its Utilization in the Country for the year 2016-17.
• Norouzi, H.R., Zarghami, R., Sotudeh-Gharebagh, R. and Mostoufi, N., 2016. Coupled CFD-
DEM modeling: formulation, implementation and application to multiphase flows. John
Wiley & Sons.

20. Copyright2013-2014
Thank You