Measurements of the flow of a liquid–solid mixture/suspension through a segmented orifice

The paper attempts to solve the metrological problem that occurs when measuring the intensity of a flowing fluid with suspended solids with densities greater and less than the density of the fluid. The issue of the possibility of self-cleaning of a prototype variant of a segmented orifice from floating solid particles forming mixture/suspensions is discussed. For spherical particles of solids calculations have been made to allow for determining a borderline between their floating and entrainment by the flow, based on dimensionless numbers: Archimedes number and Reynolds number. Experimental tests and CFD simulations were conducted with a variable flow determined by Reynolds number for comparable segmental orifices with orifice module m = 0.102. Flow characteristics were plotted. Based on the results obtained from numerical simulations, positive influence of the inclination of skew segmental orifice downflow plane was presented. The results obtained from the study are a guideline for planning further studies to expand the knowledge of segmented orifices with inclined inflow plane.