1. Flow visualization study of feed pellets during discharge period in silo.
- Author
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Santhisan, Kunyaphorn, Kraitong, Kwanchai, Sridun, Theerawut, Kulthanachat, Nollaphan, and Muangmai, Atthagovit
- Subjects
FLOW visualization ,ANIMAL feeds ,FEED industry ,RAW materials ,MANUFACTURING industries - Abstract
In the animal feed manufacturing industry, conical hoppers are commonly used for storing raw materials and temporary storage of finished products before export. However, it has been observed that storing animal feed in hoppers for an extended period can lead to flow blockages during the discharge process, impacting the storage and delivery process, and resulting in revenue loss. To mitigate these blockages, the concept of inserting inserts into the hopper has been proposed, aiming to allow materials to flow out of the hopper evenly without channeling and bridging during discharge. To study the impact of inserts on the flow rate and flow pattern visualization of animal feed pellets during discharge from the hopper, experiments were conducted using conical hoppers made of fiberglass with incline angles of 10 and 17 degrees and an outlet size of 55 mm. The flow pattern visualization tests showed that the inserts affected the flow pattern of the animal feed inside the hopper. Without inserts, the hopper exhibited a mixed flow pattern initially and transitioned to a funnel flow pattern at the outlet. However, hoppers with inserts showed a mass flow pattern initially, transitioning to funnel flow at the hopper-outlet junction. This is because of the inserts helping to retard the pellets flowing near the central axis, causing the pellets at the sides to flow more, reducing the likelihood of interlocking at the hopper junction, leading to an increased flow rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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