Effect of the Silo-Bottom Design on the Granular Behaviour during Discharging Process

摘要

This paper aims to investigate the effect of the silo-bottom design on the dynamic behaviour of granular flow during discharging process in a varied mass-flow silo. Three different designs of hopper bottom including a flat-bottomed silo, a cylinder-hopper silo and a silo with double-opening bottom are considered. We assume that the granular material is an assembly of 10,000 soybeans. Governing equations including the principle of linear momentum and angular momentum describes the motion of particles. Discrete element method is manipulated for the solution of the governing equations. The simulation results indicate that Zig-Zag flow occurs in the cylinder-hopper silo and the silo with double-opening bottom. Comparing with other silos, arching and low pressure occur in a double-opening bottom silo whereas dead zone and high pressure appear in the flat-bottomed silo.