TY - JOUR
T1 - Application of simulation technologies in the analysis of granular material behaviour during transport and storage
AU - Chapelle, P.
AU - Christakis, N.
AU - Wang, J.
AU - Strusevich, N.
AU - Patel, M. K.
AU - Cross, M.
AU - Abou-Chakra, H.
AU - Baxter, J.
AU - Tuzun, U.
PY - 2005/2
Y1 - 2005/2
N2 - Problems in the preservation of the quality of granular material products are complex and arise from a series of sources during transport and storage. In either designing a new plant or, more likely, analysing problems that give rise to product quality degradation in existing operations, practical measurement and simulation tools and technologies are required to support the process engineer. These technologies are required to help in both identifying the source of such problems and then designing them out. As part of a major research programme on quality in particulate manufacturing computational models have been developed for segregation in silos, degradation in pneumatic conveyors, and the development of caking during storage, which use where possible, micro-mechanical relationships to characterize the behaviour of granular materials. The objective of the work presented here is to demonstrate the use of these computational models of unit processes involved in the analysis of large-scale processes involving the handling of granular materials. This paper presents a set of simulations of a complete large-scale granular materials handling operation, involving the discharge of the materials from a silo, its transport through a dilute-phase pneumatic conveyor, and the material storage in a big bag under varying environmental temperature and humidity conditions. Conclusions are drawn on the capability of the computational models to represent key granular processes, including particle size segregation, degradation, and moisture migration caking.
AB - Problems in the preservation of the quality of granular material products are complex and arise from a series of sources during transport and storage. In either designing a new plant or, more likely, analysing problems that give rise to product quality degradation in existing operations, practical measurement and simulation tools and technologies are required to support the process engineer. These technologies are required to help in both identifying the source of such problems and then designing them out. As part of a major research programme on quality in particulate manufacturing computational models have been developed for segregation in silos, degradation in pneumatic conveyors, and the development of caking during storage, which use where possible, micro-mechanical relationships to characterize the behaviour of granular materials. The objective of the work presented here is to demonstrate the use of these computational models of unit processes involved in the analysis of large-scale processes involving the handling of granular materials. This paper presents a set of simulations of a complete large-scale granular materials handling operation, involving the discharge of the materials from a silo, its transport through a dilute-phase pneumatic conveyor, and the material storage in a big bag under varying environmental temperature and humidity conditions. Conclusions are drawn on the capability of the computational models to represent key granular processes, including particle size segregation, degradation, and moisture migration caking.
KW - Caking
KW - Continuum modelling
KW - Degradation
KW - Granular materials
KW - Micro-mechanical parametrizations
KW - Segregation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=14844330069&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1243/095440805X7044
DO - 10.1243/095440805X7044
M3 - Journal Article
AN - SCOPUS:14844330069
SN - 0954-4089
VL - 219
SP - 43
EP - 52
JO - Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering
JF - Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part E: Journal of Process Mechanical Engineering
IS - 1
M1 - E01604
ER -