Pressure pulsation characteristics and constitutive modeling of filling paste under dual-pump parallel operation

Abstract To address the demand for flow capacity expansion in filling mining systems, employing two parallel paste conveying pumps offers a cost-effective solution. However, as a viscoelastic-plastic fluid, filling paste is transported through pipelines under pulsed step excitation from paste pumps. Consequently, paste transportation exhibits distinct characteristics in both material properties and pumping mechanisms. The low efficiency of parallel pumping configurations constrains the practical adoption of dual-pump parallel systems. This study establishes a constitutive model based on the viscoelastic-plastic mechanism of filling paste. Using MATLAB/Simulink, a computational model simulating the constitutive behavior subjected to step-input excitation is developed. Two unbalanced pressure pulsation signals are generated to simulate parallel pump inputs, with systematic adjustments to frequency and phase differences for constitutive model loading. Analysis reveals that parallel pump operation achieves optimal flow continuity and pressure stability when synchronized at identical pulsation frequencies with a 90° phase difference. The findings substantially enhance pipeline transport efficiency while mitigating instantaneous impacts, providing critical theoretical guidance for parallel pump system design and operational control. This research establishes a foundation for effective implementation of dual-pump parallel conveying technology in mining applications.