Abstract 9729041 G. Klinzing, University of Pittsburgh This is a GOALI project between University of Pittsburgh and The Dow Chemical Company. The objective of this proposal is to provide basic understanding of highly concentrated gas-solid flows through pipes based on data from a large-scale system. It is well known that small-scale laboratory facilities cannot fully reproduce gas-solids transport phenomena in large industrial scale. The flow patterns in horizontal and vertical dense phase pneumatic transport will be investigated as a function of the materials properties and operating conditions using 3 and 4 inch pipes and specific experimental tools for dense phase flow. Collaborations include other industrial units (Dow, MAC, DuPont, Eastman, Babcock, and others) and leading research groups in U.K. and Japan. The experimental tools include particle plug and shear testers, pressure fluctuation transducers, fast video, electrical tomography, as well as statistical and Fuzzy logic analysis methods. The tested materials will be determined by an industrial advisory board in order to be representative for industrial applications. The proposed project, if successful, will provide a predictive method for calculating the performance of large scale industrial dense phase conveying systems based on the fundamental materials properties, and principles of powder and fluid mechanics. Graduate students will perform their research in both the academic and industrial facilities. ***
