Development of a Solid-Liquid Flow Meter

The individual flow rates of a solid-liquid mixture in a pipe are determined using knowledge of the physical properties of the slurry components and piezometric head measurements at three positions on the meter. The theoretically predicted flow rates are calculated by graphically performing the simultaneous solution of the momentum and energy equations describing the flow through the meter. Tests conducted in a 2-in. diameter vertical conduit using a sand-water slurry included a range of sand concentrations to 19.7% by volume and velocities to 3.7 fps. The sand content in the slurry could be predicted to within 0.5% concentration for almost all flow conditions investigated.