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Unlocking sustainable cooling: a numerical analysis of ice slurry flow in 180° U-bends-impacts of bend radius/pipe radius ratios and pressure drops on system performance

  • Kamal Singh Rawat , Prabhakar Bhandari EMAIL logo , Vijay Singh Bisht , Beemkumar Nagappan , Lalit Ranakoti , Karthikeyan Alagu ORCID logo , Dhirendra Nath Thatoi ORCID logo , Shubham Sharma ORCID logo EMAIL logo , V. Nagabhushana Rao ORCID logo and Ehab El Sayed Massoud
Published/Copyright: April 25, 2025
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International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering
From the journal International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering Volume 23 Issue 2

Abstract

Ice slurry serves as an effective secondary-loop refrigerant, boosting system performance while simultaneously minimizing refrigerant charge and leakage. This not only enhances energy efficiency but also addresses environmental safety concerns. Unlike single-phase flow, ice slurry exhibits complex multi-phase dynamics, making its behavior in pipelines distinctly different. Since bend sections are essential for flexible routing in pipeline transportation, they also significantly influence the flow characteristics. In this study, the flow behavior of ice slurry within bend sections has been thoroughly examined. The investigation has been performed in 23 mm diameter pipe with 180° bend section with 2 different (Bend radius/Pipe radius) ratios of 2.98 & 5.6. The Eulerian multi-phase based CFD model is developed for the investigation which is first validated with literature. Investigation has been done for ice concentrations of 10, 20 and 30 % by volume at 1 m/s to 3 m/s velocities, and particles diameters of 0.25 mm and 0.40 mm. From the investigation, it has been observed that, concentration and velocity distributions are affected in bend section. The concentration exhibits a rising trend from the inner section toward the outer section of the bend, as well as along the upper region of the pipe. Additionally, an increase in the R/r ratio from 2.98 to 5.60 leads to a reduction in pressure drop by up to 9 %. This indicates that as the relative size changes, there is a noticeable decrease in pressure drop, suggesting a potential correlation between the radius ratio and fluid resistance or flow characteristics.

Keywords: Eulerian; bend pipe; ice slurry; CFD; bend ratios; pressure drop
Corresponding authors: Prabhakar Bhandari, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology, K. R. Mangalam University, Gurgaon, Haryana, India, E-mail: ; and Shubham Sharma, Department of Technical Sciences, Western Caspian University, Baku, Azerbaijan; Centre for Research Impact and Outcome, Chitkara University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Chitkara University, Rajpura-140401, Punjab, India; and Jadara University Research Center, Jadara University, Jordan, E-mail:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Graphic Era Deemed to Be University, Dehradun-248002, Uttarakhand, India.

Funding source: Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University

Award Identifier / Grant number: RGP2/28/44

  1. Research ethics: Not applicable.

  2. Informed consent: Not applicable.

  3. Author contributions: Conceptualization, KSR, PB, VSB, NB, LR; formal analysis, KSR, PB, VSB, NB, LR, SS; investigation, KSR, PB, VSB, NB, LR; writing – original draft preparation, KSR, PB, VSB, NB, LR; writing – review and editing, SS, KA, DNT, VNR, EESM; project administration, KA, DNT, VNR, EESM; funding acquisition, KA, DNT, VNR, EESM. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

  4. Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.

  5. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests.

  6. Research funding: The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at King Khalid University for funding this work through large group Research Project under grant number RGP2/28/44.

  7. Data availability: All the characterizations, analysis, testing’s related works, and testing’s have been provided by Prabhakar Bhandari and Lalit Ranakoti. Additionally, the raw data can be obtained on request from the corresponding authors, Prabhakar Bhandari and Lalit Ranakoti.

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Received: 2024-11-30
Accepted: 2025-03-10
Published Online: 2025-04-25

© 2025 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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https://doi.org/10.1515/ijcre-2024-0233
Keywords for this article
Eulerian; bend pipe; ice slurry; CFD; bend ratios; pressure drop

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Review
  3. A critical analysis on synthesis of nanofluids and factors affecting thermal conductivity of nanofluids for heat transfer applications: a review
  4. Articles
  5. Improving iron-bearing dust pellets performance through synergistic action of dual-component organic binders: cellulose and starch interactions
  6. Preparation of mesoporous lignin-based aerogels for organic dyes removal
  7. Power generation potential and assessment of producer gas quality from blended rubber shell and palm kernel shell in open core downdraft gasifier
  8. Bi2S3 loaded MXene Ti3C2T x nanosheet with an adsorption-photocatalytic synergistic removal for tetracycline
  9. Preparation of activated carbon from waste tea and its performance in adsorptive desulfurization of model fuel
  10. Study on friction pressure drop characteristics of gas flow through multi-size irregular high-purity magnesia bed layer
  11. Unlocking sustainable cooling: a numerical analysis of ice slurry flow in 180° U-bends-impacts of bend radius/pipe radius ratios and pressure drops on system performance
  12. DEM investigation on effect of internal pipe on active layer characterization in a drum
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