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Measuring multiphase impinging liquid jets for particle bed re-suspension with ultrasonic profilers

Academic lead
Dr Timothy Hunter. Chemical and Process Engineering
Industrial lead
Geoff Randall, Sellafield
Co-supervisor(s)
Prof Mike Fairweather, Chemical and Process Engineering, Prof Jeff Peakall, Earth and Environment
Project themes
Particulate flows, sediments & rheology

Desired Impinging jets are used in a wide range of process engineering applications such as tunnelling operations, paint spraying and cavitation drilling. Liquid jets are also used as a method to estimate sediment strength in natural environment studies; from predicting attrition in waste reservoir outlets to measuring long term bed-slip in estuaries. Related is the use of liquid jets in mixing operations to mobilise and homogenise sedimented particulate beds. This is particularly important in the nuclear waste industry for mixing of radioactive sludges, as they are preferred over mechanical mixers due to the lack of moving parts. Despite the wide relevance of multiphase impinging jet mixing systems, quantitative studies of the flow-profiles, turbulence and recirculation currents in sediment beds are lacking. This is due to the difficulty of measuring multiphase particulate jets, as traditional laser or image tracking techniques cannot be used at high solids loads. This problem is compounded when the jets are used to mobilise sediments, often creating completely opaque environments. Acoustics however, offer a possibility of observing simultaneous velocity and depth information using combined Doppler and backscatter at high particle concentrations. This PhD seeks new research to investigate the application of these instruments for these complex flows.