1

st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
Design Considerations for Paste and
Thickened Tailings Pipeline Systems
Robert Cooke
Paterson & Cooke, Denver, Colorado
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
Overview
Drivers
Properties
Terminology
Design Considerations
Conclusions
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
Paste & Thickened Tailings Drivers
Shortage of water in arid regions
Potential for reduced environmental impact and
increased stability
New technology
Oil Sands
Increased consolidation, reduced storage volume
Heat recovery
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
Paste and Thickened Tailings Properties
8.1 slump
Cw = 54%
10.7 slump
Cw = 54%
Un-sheared Fully sheared
Rheomalaxis
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton

0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500
W
a
l
l

s
h
e
a
r

s
t
r
e
s
s
,

(
P
a
)
Time, (s)
Tailings Tank 25 April 11H00
Unsheared
Sheared
Cw - 39%m
Cw - 39%m
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Pipeline Velocity (m/s)
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

G
r
a
d
i
e
n
t

(
k
P
a
/
m
)
150 mm pipe loop data:
Floculated heavy mineral tailings
40% by mass
pH = 6.6
pH = 5.6


L
i
m
e

a
d
d
i
t
i
o
n
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
Paste Thickened Tailings Conventional Tailings Cake
Paste and Thickened Tailings Terminology
Increasing Solids Concentration
100 Pa 800 Pa 5 to 20 Pa Fully sheared yield stress:
Ketchup 15 Pa
Iron Ore Tailings, 64%m 100 Pa
Freely settled
concentration
No
bleed water
Soil
behavior
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
Paste and Thickened Tailings Terminology
Paste Thickened Tailings Conventional Tailings
100 Pa 800 Pa 5 to 20 Pa Fully sheared yield stress:
Cake
100 Pa 200 Pa
320 Pa
500 Pa
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design Fine Tailings
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Pipeline Vel ocity (m/s)
P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

G
r
a
d
i
e
n
t

(
k
P
a
/
m
)
150 mm pipe loop data:
Floculated heavy mineral tailings (37%m)
Clear Water Curve
Laminar Flow
Turbulent
Flow

=
4
3
1
3
4
1
8
o
y
o
y
BP
o
K D
V

. 26 V
m
y
crit

=
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design Broad Sized Tailings
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design Broad Sized Tailings
Consolidating tailings, 20 pipe loop, 1545 kg/m
3
, S:F = 3.5
Gillies et al, Hydrotransport 15, 2002
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Concentration by volume
y
/
D

1.4 m/s
"3.5 m/s"
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0
Velocity (m/s)
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
y
/
D
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design Broad Sized Tailings
Consolidating tailings, 20 pipe loop, 1545 kg/m
3
, S:F = 3.5
Gillies et al, Hydrotransport 15, 2002
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Concentrati on by volume
y
/
D

1.4 m/s
"3.5 m/s"
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0
Velocity (m/s)
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
y
/
D
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design Broad Sized Tailings
62%
63%
64%
65%
66%
67%
68%
69%
70%
71%
72%
2.0 2.5 3.0 3.5 4.0
Velocity (m/s)
C
o
n
c
e
n
t
r
a
t
i
o
n
67%m nominal conc.
Test 1
Test 2
Top of Pipe
Bottom of Pipe
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Concentration (%m)
Y
i
e
l
d

S
t
r
e
s
s

(
P
a
)
Copper tailings, 4 pipe loop, 67%m
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design Broad Sized Tailings
Copper tailings, 4 pipe loop, 67%m
0.00
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.40
0.45
0.50
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Velocity (m/s)
H
y
d
r
a
u
l
i
c

G
r
a
d
i
e
n
t

(
m
/
m
)
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design Broad Sized Tailings
Copper tailings, 4 pipe loop, 67%m
Velocity at x/R=0
-1.0
-0.8
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0
V (m/s)
y
/
R
Shear stress near wall
-1.0
-0.8
-0.6
-0.4
-0.2
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
0 50 100 150
Shear Stress (Pa)
y
/
R
FEM Analysis: Dr Randy Gillies, SRC
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design Broad Sized Tailings
Kimberlite thickened tailings, 14 5.5 km pipeline
Yield stress 50 Pa
Maximum particle size = 1 mm
Calculated pipeline pressure gradient = 0.6 kPa/m (Buckingham)
Pressure gradient typically = 0.9 kPa/m (+50%)
Pressure gradient never exceeds 1.4 kPa/m
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
1.E+04 1.E+05 1.E+06 1.E+07
Pump Reynolds Number
H
e
a
d

D
e
r
a
t
i
n
g

F
a
c
t
o
r
Warman Curve
Slurry 1
Slurry 2
Slurry 3
Slurry 4
Slurry 5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
1.E+04 1.E+05 1.E+06 1.E+07
Pump Reynolds Number
E
f
f
i
c
i
e
n
c
y

D
e
r
a
t
i
n
g

F
a
c
t
o
r
Warman Curve
Slurry 1
Slurry 2
Slurry 3
Slurry 4
Slurry 5
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 50 100 150 200
Flow Rate (litres per second)
H
e
a
d

(
m

o
f

m
i
x
t
u
r
e
)
Laminar Flow
Pipeline System Curve
6/4 Pumps
8/6 Pumps
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
System Design
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1.0
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Concentrati on by volume
y
/
D

1.4 m/s
"3.5 m/s"
1
st
International Oil Sands Tailings Conference, Dec 08, Edmonton
Conclusions
Generally the technology for paste and thickened
tailings pipelines is well developed.
Further work is required to better understand the
laminar flow behavior of wide particle size distribution
tailings.
Thank you for your attention