Rheological characterization of highly concentrated mineral suspensions using ultrasound velocity profiling with combined pressure difference method.

The rheological behaviour of non-Newtonian, highly concentrated and non-transparent fluids used in industry have so far been analysed using commercially available instruments, such as conventional rotational rheometers and tube viscometers. When dealing with the prediction of non-Newtonian flows in pipes, pipe fittings and open channels, most of the models used are empirical in nature. The fact that the fluids or slurries that are used normally are opaque, effectively narrows down the variety of applicable in-line rheometers even further, as these instruments are normally based on laser or visible light techniques, such as Laser Doppler Anemometry. In this research, an Ultrasonic Velocity Profiling technique (UVP), in combination with a pressure difference (PD) measurement, was tested to provide in-line measurement of rheological parameters. The main objective of this research was to evaluate the capabilities of the UVP-PD technique for rheological characterisation of different concentrations of non-transparent non-Newtonian slurries. Kaolin, bentonite, Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) and water solutions were used as model non-Newtonian mining slurries. Results determined by the UVP-PD method were compared with results obtained by off-line rheometry and in-line tube viscometry. The agreement between the UVP-PD method, tube viscometry and conventional rheometry was found to be within 15 % for all of the highly concentrated mineral suspensions investigated over a given range of shear rates. This method, if used in combination with a pressure difference technique (PD), has been found to have a significant potential in the development process of new in-line rheometers for process control within the mining industry.