Abstract: A method of electronically deriving a conclusion of a condition of slurry flow in a non-vertical conduit having a conduit wall and which contains a slurry to flow or flowing along the conduit is provided.

Abstract: A method of electronically deriving a conclusion of a condition of slurry flow in a non-vertical conduit having a conduit wall and which contains a slurry to flow or flowing along the conduit is provided.

Abstract: A method of deriving a conclusion of the condition of slurry flow in a non-vertical conduit includes artificially generating a first locally heated spot on an interior surface of the conduit at the invert of the conduit and artificially generating a second locally heated spot on the interior surface of the conduit at a location angularly spaced from the first heated spot at an angular spacing of at least 90°. The temperatures of the heated spots are measured, obtaining first and second temperature values T1, T2. Electronically generated signals carrying the values T1, T2 are communicated to an electronic computing device. The computing device automatically calculates a first temperature difference T1 minus T2 and automatically derives a conclusion of the condition of slurry flow prevailing in the conduit based on the relationship between the value of the first temperature difference and a first reference parameter.

Abstract: A method of deriving a conclusion of the condition of slurry flow in a non-vertical conduit includes artificially generating a first locally heated spot on an interior surface of the conduit at the invert of the conduit and artificially generating a second locally heated spot on the interior surface of the conduit at a location angularly spaced from the first heated spot at an angular spacing of at least 90°. The temperatures of the heated spots are measured, obtaining first and second temperature values T1, T2. Electronically generated signals carrying the values T1, T2 are communicated to an electronic computing device. The computing device automatically calculates a first temperature difference T1 minus T2 and automatically derives a conclusion of the condition of slurry flow prevailing in the conduit based on the relationship between the value of the first temperature difference and a first reference parameter.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention concerns a method of controlling a flow of slurry pumped through a non-vertical pipeline (10) by a pump (54). In the method, at least one sensor (12) is provided. This has a sensing face (42), and the sensor is mounted at a predetermined position along the length of the pipeline such that the sensing face is flush with the invert of the pipeline at that position. The sensor is calibrated to provide output signals related to the velocity of the slurry at the invert. The operation of the pump and/or the density of the slurry are then controlled in response to the output signals from the sensor. Other aspects of the invention relate to the apparatus and to a slurry pipeline control system incorporating the apparatus and in which the method is implemented.