System development for bulk density data acquisition of granular materials: Effect of operational conditions and optimization

Abstract

The current study presents the development of a system for the determination of loose and tapped bulk density, using measurements of volume of material during the tapping compaction process. The multiple regression technique associated with planned experiments was used to study the effects of number (500–3000), frequency (150–300 taps/min), and amplitude (3–16 mm) of taps on the tapped bulk density of ten materials. The materials' flowability was evaluated by the angle of response and Hausner ratio. The tapped bulk density increases with the number of taps until it reaches a stationary state. The increment of the frequency and amplitude of taps causes an increase followed by a reduction in the response variable. All materials demonstrate regions of optimum tapped bulk density, being possible to determine the common optimum regions for materials of the same class. The optimal bulk densities provide Hausner ratio flowability results consistent with the angle of repose.