After successful completion of the course, students are able to characterize bulk materials (powders) and to describe handling during conveying, storage and dosing. In particular, students should be able to perform a sizing of a silo and to have knowledge about operation of a silo and about ways to prevent flow problems (e.g. brigde building...).
In process engineering processes where particle systems (bulk solids) are treated, the movement or flow behavior of these substances (transport and storage) plays a major role. The flow behavior of liquids is described by the laws of fluid mechanics. For solid solids, solid mechanics applies. Bulk solids are to be arranged in between and are described in terms of their flow behavior by the bulk material mechanics. In this lecture, the basics of bulk material mechanics and ways for designing a silo are presented. Aspects of operating a silo (e.g filling, dosing, explosion protection..) as well as design possibilities are considered in order to be able to describe and solve basic flow problems (eg bridge formation, shaft formation).
Essentially, the content of the course aims at the basics of bulk solids mechanics and their application to process engineering bunker design and silo design. First, the basics of bulk material mechanics, to describe the flow properties of powders and bulk solids, starting from the solid-mechanics are developed. The measurement and the experimental procedure in the determination of characteristic bulk material properties by means of shear devices is considered.
Based on the theories and work of Jenike, the sizing of the silo height, hopper inclination and hopper opening will be considered. On the basis of selected topics, problems during filling, storage, dosing and knowledge for detecting and solving flow problems (eg shaft formation) are explained. In addition, current works on the operation of a silo and handling of bulk materials are discussed (eg level measurement, CFD simulation, dust explosion protection ...).
