Spreading a Slurry Layer
Session Number
Project ID: CHEM 05
Advisor(s)
Dr. Alexander L. Yarin, University of Illinois at Chicago
Discipline
Chemistry
Start Date
17-4-2024 9:40 AM
End Date
17-4-2024 9:55 AM
Abstract
This project studies the spanwise spreading of gypsum slurry with a foaming agent under a rotating roller, a process employed by many wallboard manufacturers. Different parameters are experimented on, such as roller speed, rotation, and foam concentration. A high-speed camera records the interaction between the slurry and the roller from the side and the top. A particle imaging velocimetry software uses these videos to create velocity fields of the spanwise spreading of the slurry. While the side views yielded insignificant differences, the top view experiments suggested that numerous confounding variables could impact the spreading of gypsum slurry. One such example is the atmospheric air. As foam concentration increases, the amount of air entrapped within the slurry also increases, allowing inconsistencies in the magnitude and direction of the spanwise spreading. The change in roller direction also changes the spread due to the roller pushing the slurry closer or farther from the center. As the roller speed increases, the spanwise spreading of the gypsum slurry becomes less predictable due to parts of the substance being thrown to other locations, disrupting the overall flow direction. These additional variables should be further studied to determine exactly their impacts on the slurry's spanwise spreading.
Spreading a Slurry Layer
This project studies the spanwise spreading of gypsum slurry with a foaming agent under a rotating roller, a process employed by many wallboard manufacturers. Different parameters are experimented on, such as roller speed, rotation, and foam concentration. A high-speed camera records the interaction between the slurry and the roller from the side and the top. A particle imaging velocimetry software uses these videos to create velocity fields of the spanwise spreading of the slurry. While the side views yielded insignificant differences, the top view experiments suggested that numerous confounding variables could impact the spreading of gypsum slurry. One such example is the atmospheric air. As foam concentration increases, the amount of air entrapped within the slurry also increases, allowing inconsistencies in the magnitude and direction of the spanwise spreading. The change in roller direction also changes the spread due to the roller pushing the slurry closer or farther from the center. As the roller speed increases, the spanwise spreading of the gypsum slurry becomes less predictable due to parts of the substance being thrown to other locations, disrupting the overall flow direction. These additional variables should be further studied to determine exactly their impacts on the slurry's spanwise spreading.