Bionic pipeline transport characteristics with transverse protuberances in slurry shield circulation system based on CFD-DEM

In order to improve the pipeline transport performance of slurry shield circulation system, a bionic pipeline with transverse protuberances structure similar to sand ripples in desert is used for stones transport pipeline of slurry circulation system. Based on the theory of CFD-DEM (Computational Fluid Dynamics-Discrete Element Method), the numerical calculation model of fluid-particle coupling of the bionic pipeline is established, and the experimental platform of the slurry circulation system is set up to verify the validity of the numerical calculation model. The pipeline transport characteristics of the ordinary smooth straight pipeline was compared with the bionic pipeline. The findings show that the bionic pipeline has the optimal pipe conveying performance, which reduces the number of stones accumulation in the pipeline by about 35% compared with that of the ordinary smooth straight pipeline. The single factor analysis was used to investigate the influence laws of different geometric parameter structures on the flow field and stone distribution of the bionic pipeline.