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Investigation of discharging flow behavior of powder in the conical feeding silo: effect of BINSERT-type aided flowing device

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Abstract

In the fluidization process of nylon powder, maintaining a uniform flow of powder in the feed silo is crucial to reduce powder agglomeration and facilitate the fluidization process. In this study, BINSERT was applied to improve the flow properties of powder in the feeding silo. The discharge process of nylon powder in silos equipped with different dip angles of BINSERT was simulated using discrete element method (DEM). The DEM model considered fine-scale van der Waals forces, and a novel slicing method was employed to simplify the DEM model. The effect of BINSERT on powder flow behavior was systematically analyzed. The results indicate that the powder exhibits a more uniform velocity distribution as the BINSERT dip angle increases. The flow pattern gradually transitions from Funnel flow to Mass flow. Furthermore, the installation of BINSERT improves the pressure distribution on the silo walls, enhancing the reliability of the silo.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant numbers 51975504, 52375466]; the Provincial Natural Science Foundation of Hunan for Distinguished Young Scholars [grant number 2022JJ10045]; the Excellent Youth Project of Education Department of Hunan Province [Grant Number 22B0109]; Youth Science Foundation of Guangdong Provincial Regional Joint Fund [Grant Number 2022A1515110862].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China

    Xiangwu Xiao, Bo Li, Ruitao Peng, Meiliang Chen, Linfeng Zhao, Shengqiang Jiang & Yue Zhang

  2. Foshan Green Intelligent Manufacturing Research Institute of Xiangtan University, Foshan, 528311, Guangdong, China

    Xiangwu Xiao

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Correspondence to Ruitao Peng.

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Xiao, X., Li, B., Peng, R. et al. Investigation of discharging flow behavior of powder in the conical feeding silo: effect of BINSERT-type aided flowing device. Comp. Part. Mech. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40571-023-00683-x

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