The Transport of Solids 1n Helically-Ribbed Pipes
S. E. Wolfe Professor, Dept. of Mining Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont
The presence of helical ribs in smooth-bore round pipe results in the ~ransport of granular solid particles m water at a much lower velocity than required to transport the same solids in a smooth pipe. The helical motion imparted to the flowing mixture effectively returns settled solid particles to the main stream. The flow may be stopped and restarted without difficulty. Due to the lower velocity required for satisfactory transport large power savings are realized. Also: due to lower velocity, the wear on the pipe walls is much reduced. For satisfactory performance, the ribs should haye a high angle relative to the long axis of the pipe and the lineal spacing between adjacent ribs should be modest.
