Mass flow rate of dry solids in metric tonnes per hour.
Density ratio of solids (e.g., Sand/Silica ≈ 2.65).
Percentage of solids by weight (0-100%).
Usually 1.0 for water.
Volumetric Flow Rate
0 m³/h
Flow Rate (US)
0 GPM
Slurry Specific Gravity
0.00
Total Slurry Mass
0 TPH
How to Calculate Slurry Flow Rate
Calculating the flow rate of slurry is a critical task in mineral processing, dredging, and chemical engineering. Unlike clear liquids, slurry is a mixture of liquid (usually water) and insoluble solid particles. To accurately size pumps and pipelines, you must convert the required tonnage of dry solids into a volumetric flow rate of the mixture.
Key Parameters Required
To perform this calculation, you need four main parameters:
Dry Solids Rate (TPH): The target production rate of dry material you need to move, measured in Tonnes Per Hour.
Specific Gravity of Solids (SGs): The density of the solid particles relative to water. Common values include 2.65 for silica sand, 4.0-5.0 for iron ore, and 1.3-1.5 for coal.
Concentration by Weight (Cw %): The percentage of the total slurry mass that consists of solid particles.
Specific Gravity of Liquid (SGl): Usually 1.0 if the carrier fluid is water, but may be higher for brines or chemical solutions.
The Formulas
The calculation is performed in three steps:
1. Calculate Slurry Specific Gravity (SGm)
First, determine the density of the mixture. This is a weighted harmonic mean of the densities:
SGm = 100 / [ (Cw / SGs) + ((100 – Cw) / SGl) ]
2. Calculate Total Slurry Mass Flow (Mm)
Next, calculate the total mass of the slurry (solids + liquid) required to transport the dry solids:
Mm (TPH) = Dry Solids TPH / (Cw / 100)
3. Calculate Volumetric Flow Rate (Q)
Finally, convert the total mass flow into volume. Since 1 tonne of water occupies 1 cubic meter, we divide the mass flow by the mixture's specific gravity:
Q (m³/h) = Mm / SGm
To convert cubic meters per hour (m³/h) to US Gallons Per Minute (GPM), multiply Q by approximately 4.403.
Example Calculation
Let's say you need to transport 100 TPH of sand (SG 2.65) at a concentration of 30% by weight in water (SG 1.0).
Total Mass: 100 / 0.30 = 333.33 TPH (Total Slurry)
Flow Rate (m³/h): 333.33 / 1.23 = 271 m³/h
Flow Rate (GPM): 271 × 4.403 ≈ 1,193 GPM
Why is accurate calculation important?
Underestimating the flow rate can lead to pipeline sedimentation and blockages if the velocity drops below the settling velocity. Overestimating can result in oversized pumps, wasted energy, and excessive pipe wear due to unnecessarily high velocities.
function calculateSlurryFlow() {
// 1. Get input values
var drySolids = parseFloat(document.getElementById('drySolids').value);
var solidsSG = parseFloat(document.getElementById('solidsSG').value);
var concentration = parseFloat(document.getElementById('concentration').value);
var liquidSG = parseFloat(document.getElementById('liquidSG').value);
// 2. Validate inputs
if (isNaN(drySolids) || drySolids < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid positive number for Dry Solids Rate.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(solidsSG) || solidsSG <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Specific Gravity for solids.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(concentration) || concentration = 100) {
alert("Concentration must be greater than 0% and less than 100%.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(liquidSG) || liquidSG <= 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Specific Gravity for the liquid.");
return;
}
// 3. Perform Calculations
// Step A: Calculate Slurry Specific Gravity (SGm)
// Formula: 100 / ( (Cw / SGs) + ((100 – Cw) / SGl) )
var term1 = concentration / solidsSG;
var term2 = (100 – concentration) / liquidSG;
var slurrySG = 100 / (term1 + term2);
// Step B: Calculate Total Slurry Mass Flow (Mm in TPH)
// Formula: Dry TPH / (Cw / 100)
var totalMassTPH = drySolids / (concentration / 100);
// Step C: Calculate Volumetric Flow Rate (Q in m3/h)
// Formula: Total Mass TPH / Slurry SG
// Note: 1 Tonne of water = 1 m3. This holds true for SG ratio logic.
var flowM3H = totalMassTPH / slurrySG;
// Step D: Convert to US GPM
// 1 m3/h = 4.40286754 gpm
var flowGPM = flowM3H * 4.40287;
// 4. Update UI
document.getElementById('resultFlowM3').innerText = flowM3H.toFixed(1) + " m³/h";
document.getElementById('resultFlowGPM').innerText = Math.round(flowGPM).toLocaleString() + " GPM";
document.getElementById('resultSlurrySG').innerText = slurrySG.toFixed(2);
document.getElementById('resultTotalMass').innerText = totalMassTPH.toFixed(1) + " TPH";
// Show results container
document.getElementById('results').style.display = "block";
}