Question Regarding Fluid Dynamics of Slurry and Engineering Applications

[Chro_Zarco]

I'm not sure if this question has already been asked and answered, or if this is something that was totally removed from the general topic.

Recently I stumbled upon some videos of a guy who would use slurry pumps (like for farm equipment) to make giant tanks and ponds of thick, muddy sludge that he could then sink, dive, submerge into, and bathe in. The slurry in the videos looked to be about ceramic grade silt in composition; for comparison, the closest MPV version in my library would be the clay in "Deep Clay Dual Eroticism". I've also noticed that some WAM slime videos use gravity-feed showers for their smoother mixtures.

My question is: If I wanted to set up a mud bath with a shower attachment (using an attachment with large-bore holes or custom-creating an appropriate head), would it be better to use a slurry pump or a gravity feed tank, assuming the mud mixture can be kept mixed well enough to prevent clogging? I am not an engineer, nor do I have a head for fluid dynamics, so I'm unsure which method would be more feasible.

[Duncan Edwards]

I'm not sure if this question has already been asked and answered, or if this is something that was totally removed from the general topic.

Recently I stumbled upon some videos of a guy who would use slurry pumps (like for farm equipment) to make giant tanks and ponds of thick, muddy sludge that he could then sink, dive, submerge into, and bathe in. The slurry in the videos looked to be about ceramic grade silt in composition; for comparison, the closest MPV version in my library would be the clay in "Deep Clay Dual Eroticism". I've also noticed that some WAM slime videos use gravity-feed showers for their smoother mixtures.

My question is: If I wanted to set up a mud bath with a shower attachment (using an attachment with large-bore holes or custom-creating an appropriate head), would it be better to use a slurry pump or a gravity feed tank, assuming the mud mixture can be kept mixed well enough to prevent clogging? I am not an engineer, nor do I have a head for fluid dynamics, so I'm unsure which method would be more feasible.

I'm sure you know all of this is impossible to answer without a vast amount of further information. You sure aren't going to get a definitive response here. Best I can offer is the Camp MPV method of perfecting new mud technology - try it and see.

[Fred588]

I'm not sure if this question has already been asked and answered, or if this is something that was totally removed from the general topic.

Recently I stumbled upon some videos of a guy who would use slurry pumps (like for farm equipment) to make giant tanks and ponds of thick, muddy sludge that he could then sink, dive, submerge into, and bathe in. The slurry in the videos looked to be about ceramic grade silt in composition; for comparison, the closest MPV version in my library would be the clay in "Deep Clay Dual Eroticism". I've also noticed that some WAM slime videos use gravity-feed showers for their smoother mixtures.

My question is: If I wanted to set up a mud bath with a shower attachment (using an attachment with large-bore holes or custom-creating an appropriate head), would it be better to use a slurry pump or a gravity feed tank, assuming the mud mixture can be kept mixed well enough to prevent clogging? I am not an engineer, nor do I have a head for fluid dynamics, so I'm unsure which method would be more feasible.

I'm sure you know all of this is impossible to answer without a vast amount of further information. You sure aren't going to get a definitive response here. Best I can offer is the Camp MPV method of perfecting new mud technology - try it and see.

Duncan is being a tad vague here about the "method." I will be more specific about the "method" used by Studio 588. Its called "try it and see what happens."

[mudxdresser]

All depends on whether you want a continuous flow or just a one time mud drop that doesn't last all that long. Either way though, you really need a pump as the magic wears out real fast on lifting heavy buckets of mud up to some holding tank placed at sufficient elevation above to give a good plop effect.

So, let's talk pumps a little. Hot tubs usually use something like a 1/2 hp pump and such a pump will work for what you have in mind, if, and only if, you don't need your mud to be really thick. Pump lifting capacity, referred to as feet of head, is based on the height you need to lift the mud and the consistence of the mud. In my experience, a 1/2 hp pump will lift watery to just under medium consistency mud sufficiently high for any drop you're likely to have in mind, say 10' or so.

If you are only pumping the mud to drop it once, the pump overheating will not be a problem, however, if you are after continuous operation, heating can be an issue, especially since the pump will tend to raise the temperature of the circulating mud as the mud passes through the hot pump. This can create a feedback loop and cause the temperature of the mud to continuously rise which in turn heats the pump up as the mud is then no longer acting as a coolant. So, be sure and factor in plenty of air space for where your pump is located and perhaps a fan and don't forget to use ground fault electrical isolation if your pump is anywhere at all near your mudbath.

If you're like me and like your mud thick, well, that is where things get complicated and expensive. Forget residential sump pumps and spa motors, you're going to need something more industrial like a vacuum pump suitable for pumping concrete. When shopping for a pump, you'll need to be able to tell the pump supply company the head and the diameter of the pipe you will be using. Don't consider anything less than 1" diameter and note that 1" flexible vinyl tubing is used in a lot of hot tubs and readily available. The bigger the pipe, the bigger the size of the pump you'll need.