Numerical simulation of pressure loss and flow characteristics in combined elbow pipes for solid–liquid two-phase flow

ABSTRACT The transport of solid–liquid two-phase flow is widely used in water conservancy, environmental protection, and municipal engineering. Accurate pressure loss calculation is crucial for hydraulic transport pipelines, particularly in the case of bends, valves, and other deformation parts. These factors directly impact the energy consumption and the investment of the system. This paper employed the Euler–Euler multiphase flow model to investigate the characteristics of solid–liquid two-phase flow in vertically positioned combined elbows. The model was initially validated using data from the literature. Subsequently, based on the validated model, an investigation was conducted to determine the relationship between pressure loss and various factors, including flow velocity, combined angle, particle concentration, and particle size. Finally, the changes in velocity distribution, particle concentration, and turbulent kinetic energy were analyzed. The results indicate that the pressure loss increases with the flow velocity, tends to decrease with the combined angle, and increases with the particle concentration. The relationship between pressure loss and particle size is more complex. The velocity distribution, particle concentration, and turbulent kinetic energy exhibit the variations caused by different factors.