Numerical study on the behavior of funnel flow silos with and without inserts through a continuum hydrodynamic approach

摘要

In this paper the results from simulations performed using a hydrodynamic model proposed by Artoni et al. [Chem. Eng. Sci. 64 (2009a) 4040-4050] have been compared with published data of an extensive experimental investigation carried out at the Tel-Tek Research Institute in Porsgrunn, Norway. The experiments collected several data and observations on the wall stresses and the flow patterns observed during discharge of a full-scale funnel flow silo with and without inserts. The comparison between simulation and experiments showed the ability of the model to capture quantitatively the main features of both the flow and of the wall stress profiles when flow corrective inserts are put in the hopper of the silo in order to convert the discharge regime to a mass flow regime. Moreover information such as the stresses on the internals, which are difficult or impossible to get experimentally, have been collected from the simulations and discussed.