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Volume 117
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Hydraulic transport of coarse particles in a slurry shield circulation system with swirl induction pipes: A CFD-DEM study (Open Access)
Guozhen Li a b, Zheng Wang a b, Nicholas J. Miles b c, Philip Hall a b *
a Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham, Ningbo, 315100, China
b Nottingham Ningbo China Beacons of Excellence Research and Innovation Institute, Ningbo, 315100, China
c Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
10.1016/j.partic.2026.07.016
Volume 117, October 2026, Pages 219-234
Received 19 April 2026, Revised 15 July 2026, Accepted 27 July 2026, Available online 28 July 2026, Version of Record 6 August 2026.
E-mail: Philip.Hall@nottingham.edu.cn
Highlights

• A novel swirl pipe was applied to slurry shield for enhanced particle transport.

• Particle transport characteristics and enhancement were evaluated by CFD-DEM model.

• Better particle suspension and less sedimentation were predicted with swirl pipes.

• The potential to transport with lower velocity was demonstrated thus saving energy.


Abstract

In underground tunnelling, it is essential to prevent sedimentation and clogging of the slurry circulation pipelines in slurry shields, as otherwise a series of consequences will occur that eventually lead to failure of the tunnel working face. The present study proposes a method to induce swirling motions in the slurry-stone transport pipeline using swirl induction pipes to sweep the accumulated stones at the pipe bottom into the mainstream and sustain their suspension, thereby minimizing the risk of clogging. We established a CFD-DEM (Computational Fluid-Discrete Element Method) coupled simulation, together with an Archard wear model, to predict the complex slurry-stone interaction, the inter-particle and particle-wall interactions during the transport of excavated coarse stones in non-Newtonian bentonite slurry within the circulation system. We validated the model against available experimental data and employed the validated model to evaluate the enhancement of hydraulic transportation by swirl pipes with various pitch-to-diameter (PD) ratios at different slurry inlet velocities, in terms of slurry flow pattern, particle distribution, slip factor, particle accumulation rate, pressure loss and pipeline wear. Special attention was paid to the potential of swirl pipes to operate at a fraction of the conveying velocity required for conventional circular pipe systems without the risk of clogging. The study demonstrates that a suitable fraction of the conventional conveying velocity and an optimal PD ratio for the swirl pipe can be achieved to reduce pumping energy, pressure loss and wear, thereby saving operation and maintenance costs.

Graphical abstract
Keywords
Hydraulic transport; Swirl flow; CFD-DEM; Erosion wear; Slurry shield
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