How vertical flow effects and material characteristics affect discharge — Part II
Are you new to bulk materials handling? Or would you like a refresher on some material flow basics? This two-part article takes a look at how various factors affect material discharge from storage vessels. Part I, which appeared last month, covers vertical flow effects and material characteristics, with related information about conducting a hand test to identify those material characteristics. Part II concludes the article by discussing application factors that can affect discharge and methods for promoting smooth discharge from storage vessels.
In addition to the material's flow characteristics, there are several factors about the material and the storage vessel that can affect material behavior during discharge. These include material segregation, the flow pattern, vessel air venting, the vessel transition section design, vibration effects on the material, vessel wall wear from abrasion, vessel wall corrosion, spontaneous material combustion, dew point and resulting moisture problems, material decomposition, freezing problems, clean-in-place requirements, discharge rate requirements, discharge design, and the feeder interface.