Discharge Characteristics of Different Shaped Particles from an Inclined Bottom Rectangular Hopper

Abstract

In order to further explore the discharge characteristics of different shaped particles from the inclined bottom hopper, the discharge of four shaped particles from an inclined bottom rectangular hopper was studied based on the discrete element method (DEM). Non-spherical particles were established based on the multi-spheres method. The effects of geometric parameters, particle properties, and interaction parameters on discharge were investigated. Some interesting results have been found that regular spherical particles are more easily discharged from the hopper, and the time required to empty the hopper is the shortest. The influence of particle shape on discharge takes precedence over that of solid fraction. Both the critical angle (55°) and the correlation between the 2/3 power of the mass discharge rate and the orifice width are independent of the particle shape. Blockage occurs as the angle and/or the ratio of particle size to orifice width increases. The dihedral angle is the key factor affecting the blockage. Compared with spherical particles, non-spherical particles are more prone to blockage and have stronger blockage strength.