A review of granular flow in screw feeders and conveyors

Abstract Screw feeders and conveyors are mainly used in industries like minerals, agriculture, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, pigments, plastics, cement, sands, and food processing for transporting and mixing the granular materials. The system looks mechanically simple but the physics of particle transport in the system is complex; problems like bridging and blockage may be observed in the operation. A comprehensive understanding is required to study the granular flow behavior in screw feeders and conveyors. Hence, this extensive review has been prepared on granular flow behavior, transportation and mixing occurring in screw feeders and conveyors, via experimental, theoretical and discrete element method (DEM) approaches.