📋 Case Study

Slurry Transport Optimization in Copper Mine Tailings Pipeline

Frequent blockages due to heterogeneous particle settling at low flow velocities

🏗️ Project Overview

65 km HDPE pipeline from concentrator to tailings dam in Peru

🎯 Challenge

Frequent blockages due to heterogeneous particle settling at low flow velocities

🔧 Design Approach

Variable-frequency drive (VFD) control with minimum velocity envelope based on Hedstrom number and critical deposition velocity

📐 Design Diagram

_c = 2.35 m/sBlockage Zone(Low velocity)SettlingHe = 2,450V_c = 0.8×√(g·D·(ρ_s/ρ_l−1)·d₅₀)PipelineVFD ControlCritical VelocityBlockage Risk

AI-generated project design illustration

📐 Key Calculations

Hedstrom Number

He = (ρ·μ·D²)/(k·τ_y²)

Result: 2,450

Predicts laminar vs turbulent slurry rheology

Critical Deposition Velocity

V_c = 0.8×√(g·D·(ρ_s/ρ_l−1)·d_50)

Result: 2.35 m/s

Minimum safe operating velocity

📊 Results

Zero unplanned shutdowns in first year; 14% energy reduction via dynamic speed control

💡 Lessons Learned

• •Particle size distribution (PSD) must be monitored weekly—not just quarterly
• •Yield stress characterization trumps simple viscosity metrics

✅ Key Takeaways

• 1Particle size distribution (PSD) must be monitored weekly—not just quarterly
• 2Yield stress characterization trumps simple viscosity metrics