Optimal design of hydraulic capsule pipelines transporting spherical capsules

Scarcity of fossil fuels is affecting efficiency of established modes of cargo transport within transportation industry. Extensive research is being carried out on improving efficiency of existing modes of cargo transport, as well as to develop alternative means of transporting goods. One such alternative method can be through the use of energy contained within fluid flowing in pipelines in order to transfer goods from one place to another. The present study focuses on the use of advanced numerical modelling tools to simulate the flow within Hydraulic Capsule Pipelines (HCPs) transporting Spherical Capsules with an aim of developing design equations. Hydraulic Capsule Pipeline is the term which refers to the transport of goods in hollow containers, typically of spherical or cylindrical shapes, termed as capsules, being carried along the pipeline by water. HCPs are being used in mineral industries and have potential for use in Oil & Gas sector. A novel modelling technique has been employed to carry out the investigations under various geometric and flow conditions within HCPs. Both qualitative and quantitative flow analysis has been carried out on the flow of spherical shaped capsules in an HCP for both on-shore and off-shore applications. Furthermore, based on Least-Cost Principle, an optimisation methodology has been developed for the design of single stage HCPs. The input to the optimisation model is the solid throughput required from the system, and the outputs are the optimal diameter of the HCPs and the pumping requirements for the capsule transporting system.