Classifying granular materials for feeding performance using experimental and numerical techniques

Flowability of powders and bulk solids is critical for the packaging industry in the selection and design of bulk material handling equipment. Nowadays, a variety of feeder systems are used for dosing operations in bagging lines, but a robust methodology for classifying granular materials based on the expected feeding performance from their physical and mechanical properties has not yet been established. This paper proposes an experimental protocol to characterise powders and bulk solids, including a new fully instrumented prototype for flowability assessment, with which granular column collapse tests are performed and monitored using a set of pressure switches and load cells, a 2D laser scanner, and a high-speed video camera. A new data treatment scheme for classification of powders and bulk solids into flowability clusters is also presented. Results show an agreement between feeder-type grouping of the granular material samples based on practice experience and cluster analysis based on their physical and mechanical properties.