SOLVING SOLIDS HANDLING

PROBLEMS BY RETROFITTING

KILARU HARSHA VARDHAN

 Overview

• Most flow problems are caused by

funnel flow patterns and can be cured
by altering the pattern to mass flow,
which requires changing the hopper
and feeder designs.

• Mechanical and chemical flow aids

 Introduction

• In effective and unreliable handling systems -

start delays, process inefficiencies and equipment
downtime.

• Engineering resources are usually allocated to

processing concerns( reaction chemistry ),

• Design of materials handling systems to prevent

problems rarely gets much attention.
 Introduction

• Solids handling problems can be avoided by

basing the design on the flow properties of the
bulk materials being handled

• Although it is much easier to prevent solids

handling problems by using sound design
methods, there are a number of effective retrofits
that can significantly improve equipment
performance.
 Common flow problems
• No – flow

• Erratic flow

• Flooding / flushing

• Flow rate limitations

• Particle segregation
No – flow
 Erratic flow

This is the result of obstructions

alternating between an arch and a
rathole.
 Flooding/flushing

Occurs when handling fine powders

such as pigments and additives

When a rathole collapses, the falling

particles entrain air and become
fluidized. material floods through the
feeder uncontrollably.

The solids bulk density can often

undergo dramatic variations
 Flow rate limitations

• Flow rate limitation is another problem

unique to fine powders.

• Most fine powders have very low

permeabilities and are affected by
any movement of interstitial air.

• The pressure gradients caused as a

result of this gas movement can
retard discharge from a hopper.
 Particle segregation

• Particle segregation can

occur

when handling blends

consisting of a number
of ingredients,

when handling a
homogenous substance
with a wide variation in
particle size or density.
 Particle segregation

Segregation or de-mixing of
ingredients may prevent

A desired chemical
reaction,
May cause an undesired
reaction, or
May results in costly
product waste or rework.
 Associated flow problems

• Limited live capacity

• Product degradation
• Incomplete or non-uniform processing
• Vibration of structures
• Structural failure
• Excessive power requirement
 Flow patterns

• Funnel flow

• Mass flow

• Expanded flow
 Funnel flow

Some material moves while rest remains

stationary during the discharge from the
silo.
 Funnel flow

1. Material handled consists entirely of coarse

particles – usually ¼ in. or larger

2. Material is free flowing – particles do not

stick to each other;

3. Particles are non-degrading – spontaneous

combustion, spoilage, aging, or caking does not
occur when particles are stagnant for extended
durations; and

4. Particle segregation is not a concern

 Mass flow

Mass flow occurs when

sloping hopper walls
are smooth enough
and steep enough for
the particle to slide
along them.

This type of flow

eliminates ratholing
and flooding and
maximizes the usable
capacity of the silo.
 Mass flow

• To achieve mass flow

1) The sloping walls of the hooper
must be steep enough and must
have the sufficiently low friction
to allow particles to flow along
them
2) The hopper opening must be
large enough to overcome
arching
3) Entire hopper opening must be
active
 Expanded flow

Used to overcome
ratholing in large silos
using the mass flow
section to enlarge the
flow channel diameter
such that a rathole
cannot form.
 Expanded flow

• To use expanded
flow the material
must be

Non degrading

The particle must

be coarse enough
not to become
fluidized.
 Retrofitting options

• Hopper modifications
• Use of inserts
• Feeder modifications
• Flow aids (mechanical and chemical)
• Air permeation systems
• Fluidization.
 Hooper modification
• Flow stoppages or erratic discharges due to arching and ratholing,
flooding or flushing of the fine powders, silo vibrations and
structural problems.

Inner hopper surface

Hopper slope
Hopper geometry

Flow along walls

Shear force is measured as a
function of applied normal force
Wall friction is the friction between
bulk solids and hopper wall surface
 Hooper modification
• Ultra high molecular –
weight Polyethylene

• Smooth or polished
stainless steel sheets

• Coatings such as epoxies,

polytetrafluroethylene
(PTFE)

• µ = tan(ф’)
 Hooper modification

• The test is conducted by first placing the bulk solid

in a retaining ring on a flat coupon of wall material.

• Various normal forces are applied by placing

weights on the cover. Material in the ring is
pushed along the stationary wall surface, and the
shear force is measured as a function of applied
normal force

• Wall friction angle ф’ is the angle formed by drawing

a straight line from the origin to a point on the
curve
Hooper modification cont…
 Hopper geometry

Making a hopper steeper is

not always an option due to
head constraints.
For mass flow in existing
hopper, replace a conical
hopper with a plane flow
hopper in which convergence
is on two opposing sides only,
and the outlet is elongated
such as a wedge or transition
hopper.
 Hopper geometry
plane flow geometry is
more robust design,
capable of handling
wider variations in
material characteristics.

Circular outlet to an
elongated outlet will likely
require a change in the
feeder
Use of inserts
Use of inserts
 Use of inserts
• If placed correctly, these inserts can
increase the size of the flow channel

• Activating more contents of a silo

• If the only problem is one of limited live

capacity of a silo, there may be some merit
in considering an insert

• If misplaced, these inserts can make

problems worse by causing arching.
 Feeder Modifications

A feeder is a piece of equipment that

is used to meter the discharge of
material from silo

When elongated outlets are used,

the feeder inability to activate the
entire outlet.

For flow to occur from the entire

length of the outlet, the feeder must
have a capacity that increases in
the direction of flow
 Feeder Modifications

To make entire hopper opening active

Belt feeder – increase in capacity is

achieved by tapered interface and
increasing size of opening

Screw feeder – increase in capacity is

achieved by tapered shaft or by
increasing the pitch in the direction of
flow
Length to screw ratio
3:1
6:1
 Rotary valves

• Rotary valves are frequently used as feeders.

• Rotary valves used as feeders below hoppers

often tend to withdraw material only from a part
of the hopper outlet

• If a rotary valve is not vented properly, gas

leakage through the valve into the silo can
significantly reduce the maximum rate at which
material can exit the silo.
 Flow aids

• Flow aids are devices or substances often used to

assist gravity in promoting material flow.

• Flow aids can be grouped in two classes:

mechanical and chemical.

• Mechanical flow aid devices include air cannons,

vibrators, vibrating dischargers, and agitators.

• Chemical flow aids include powdered additives

such as fumed silica and magnesium stearate, or
liquid additives, such as freeze-conditioning agents
Mechanical flow aids

Effective for breaking arches

Ineffective for ratholing
 Mechanical flow aids

Vibrators impart continuous body forces to the material through the walls of the handling

Low-frequency / high-amplitude forces, much like a hammer blow.

Others produce high-frequency/low-amplitude forces

Vibrators are better used to reduce buildup in chutes

 Discharger and Feeder

• Discharger is a device that promotes flow, but

does not control its rate.

• A feeder is used to meter bulk solids.

• If the rate of discharge is to be controlled, a

feeder must be used below the discharger.

• Care must be taken that material does not fill the

area between the discharger and the feeder and
get compacted by vibrations
 Agitators / Flexible walls

• Paddles, moving arms, and flexible walls are

sometimes effective in overcoming arching and
ratholing problems

• These are typically limited to relatively small

hoppers where solids pressures and the power
required to operate them are small.

• Especially useful when low discharge rates are

required with cohesive bulk solids.
 Chemical flow aids

– Work by preventing the host particles from

adhering to each other - by coating the surface
of each particle, removing free moisture

– Generally, these additives are dry powders,

such as silicates, stearates, or phosphates.

– Liquid additives have been used as freeze-

conditioning agents to prevent freezing of
moist materials that are subjected to low
temperatures, such as coal transported by rail
or ores stored outside.
 Air permeation systems
• When handling fine powders, the effect of interstitial
air or gas limits the discharge rate.

• As the material moves from the top of the silo toward

its outlet, the pressures exerted on it at first increase,
resulting in a rise in bulk density.

• This causes the particles to become packed closer

together, which forces out a certain amount of gas
between them.

• Flow rate can be increased by supplying gas into the

material using this systems, which reduces the
amount of gas flow in through the hopper
Air permeation systems cont…
 Fluidization

• Material should be fine and easily fluidizable

• Useful when high discharge rates are needed

• The gas must be uniformly distributed through the

material to prevent localized fluidization or flow
channels.

• If a rathole develops, then most of the Fluidization

gas moves through that path, losing its ability to
fluidize any more material.

• Requires dry or conditioned gas

Effectiveness of the various retrofit options
 References

• Purutyan, H.,Pittinger, B.H., Carson, J.W., “ Solve

solids handling problems by retrofitting,” Chem.Eng.Prog.,
pp 37-49, (April 1998).
Thank you