Properties of Suspensions Rheology and Flow

For more concentrated systems other approaches have been given. Several authors have made experimental studies of the effects of concentration on the 

Equations 10.48 and 10.49 would be used for correcting the viscosity of concentrated suspensions following a Newtonian behavior. 

Many concentrated suspensions follow non-Newtonian behavior and considerations ought to be made as the viscosity is not a constant anymore, and such fluids should be characterized properly to use their parameters of characterization instead of viscosity in calculations using some dimensionless groups. Most of the theory developed for non-Newtonian fluid flow through tubes, apply to laminar flow round smooth tubes. The most studied non-Newtonian fluids are the power-law fluids and there are some relationships available for pressure-loss-flow rate in purely viscous and viscoelastics flows principally. Relations for thixotropic and rheopectic systems appear not to be available. 

Under the assumptions that purely viscous behavior prevails and that no slip occurs at the tube wall, the power-law equation for laminar flow is in the form (Geankoplis, 2003)  

It may be shown (Dodge and Metzner, 1959) that the constant K may be related to the analogous power-law constant K (Table 10.1) as follows  

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