Powder Flow II: Industrial Solids Handling & Mixing
– Plant Design Principles & Operation

By popular request, a new follow-on companion workshop treating industrial applications of the solids flow principles of Powder Flow I and solids mixing, which delves into commonly encountered design & operational issues of powder handling and blending systems.

Topics include unassisted mass/funnel flow discharge; flow promoting devices both active/passive such as inserts, aeration & vibration; handling difficult powders; feeders both volumetric/gravimetric & their control; mechanical & pneumatic conveying of powders; solutions to processing segregating blends; and solids blending & mixing, mixer selection and mixture quality.

This course is useful for anyone optimizing current or designing future solids mixing and handling systems, and includes practical design applications with attendee worked examples.

Typical participants include those from pharmaceutical processing, excipient and chemical manufacture, food and consumer product production, and a variety of advanced material processes.

Powder Flow II treats in detail industrial applications of the solids flow principles learned in Powder Flow I and solids mixing, covering many of the practical considerations encountered in the design & operation of powder systems. It presumes a requisite knowledge of powder flow principles such as Powder Flow I, or equivalent experience. For those without first hand powder flow characterization experience, we would recommend attending both workshops.
Concepts are reinforced through attendee worked examples involving bin design to prevent arching/ratholing, mixture quality and design, mixer selection, flow insert placement, aeration requirements, feeder design, handling segregation, and conveying considerations.

Course topics & schedule:

• Bin Design – Review of unassisted gravity flow bin design of mass flow and funnel flow hoppers.

• Mixing and Blending – Overview of mixing quality and operation, and mixer selection.

• Feeders – Volumetric and gravimetric, screws, belts, rotary valves, advantages and disadvantages, and key design principles.

• Aeration effects – Impact on discharge rate, methods of correction.

• Retrofits – Wedge hoppers, liners and coatings, other.

• Segregation – Practical problems and solutions to typical segregation issues.

• Flow aids – Passive and active, bin inserts, air blasters, vibrators, other.

• Chutes – Do’ and don’ts, recommended chute angle due to material impact pressure.

• Flow Report — Typical flow report and design example based on report.

• Design Examples — Practical design examples, calculating critical bin dimensions with attendee worked examples.

• Modeling — Using models to understand flow issues and develop solutions, advantages and disadvantages.

• Conveying — Overview of pneumatic and mechanical conveying principles.