AFT Fathom NSL Module

The NSL Module for AFT Fathom adds extended capabilities to the standard AFT Fathom for non-Newtonian and non-settling slurry applications.

Non-Newtonian fluids exhibit unusual viscous behavior because the shear rate and shear stress of the fluid are not directly proportional under all conditions. Non-settling slurries are liquids which carry fine particle solids that do not settle to the bottom of a pipe under low flow conditions and behave homogenously.

By addressing the frictional effects of these fluids on pipes, valves and fittings when designing a system, the NSL module allows you to manage both of these applications with ease.

How does the NSL module work?

Using widely accepted methodologies, the NSL module handles rheological data so that non-newtonian constants are properly calculated and homogeneous scale-up laws are properly applied.

The NSL module:

  • Automates the process of determining Power Law and Bingham Plastic constants, avoiding the pitfalls of manual calculations
  • Accepts and manipulates rheological test data, making it useful for full scale engineering designs, calculations, and simulations
  • Adjusts junction and fitting loss data to extend turbulent data into the laminar region, accurately accounting for pressure drop

Calculating Power Law or Bingham Plastic Constants

Manually calculating non-Newtonian Power Law and Bingham Plastic constants based on rheological data can be tedious and error prone. Now you have the choice of directly entering predetermined constants or entering raw rheological data and letting the NSL module calculate them for you.

Scale-up Calculations

The NSL module applies scale-up laws to your test data, making it useful for real world projects and designs. You enter the raw rheological data for a test pipe diameter and the NSL module determines the pressure drop for alternate flows and pipe sizes.

Using the graphing capabilities of the NSL module, you can cross-plot the data scaled to other pipe diameters along with the Power Law or Bingham Plastic correlation for comparison purposes.

Modifying Fitting and Junction Losses

Since non-newtonian fluids and non-settling slurries often operate under laminar flow conditions, the NSL module includes a tool to calculate pressure drop across valves, fittings and equipment. The NSL Module offers you two choices to extend turbulent data into the laminar region:

  • Equivalent Length in Pipe Diameters (L/D) Derived From K Factors - uses junction and fitting loss data for turbulent flow and calculates an effective equivalent length
  • Non-Newtonian to Newtonian Pipe Friction Ratio Multiplier - uses the friction factor of the adjacent pipe (non-newtonian condition) and determines a ratio using Newtonian methods and your selected viscosity. This ratio is then multiplied by the pressure loss of the relevant fitting or junction.

System Requirements

Windows 95 and higher or NT 4.0 and higher
64 MB RAM minimum
800x600 display minimum
25 MB hard disk space
Stand-alone or network