Recording of the particular matter behaviour when leaving a container

Abstract

The article focuses on behaviour of particular matter depending on marginal conditions with application of the PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) and DEM (Discrete Element Method). The Discrete Element Method was used for validation of the particular matter behaviour. The research on the bulk material behaviour concentrated on detection of changes of velocity in experimental materials under constant marginal conditions. The marginal condition is an obstacle on the bottom of the storage tank. As experimental material, we selected glass balls of various sizes. The diameter of the particles was 5 and 3 mm. These particles were mixed in a 50/50 proportion up to the capacity of the experimental sample. The output velocity was recorded by a high-speed camera and compared with numerical simulation in the DEM program. The resulting values of the particle velocity in both the PIV and DEM method were compared. The agreement between the experimental outputs and the numerical method in comparison of the flow velocity was on a high level. From results is possible to detect the period when all particles left the tested zone from charts illustrating the average velocity of all particles in the selected areas during drainage of the tank. By comparison of the locations with the period of the flow's termination in the individual zones we can declare that in the course of the flow, the matter leaves the higher delimited zones earlier than zones closer to the outlet hole. The time difference of the mutually successive zones then becomes shorter while approaching the outlet hole. To summarize the whole experiment complexly, we can declare that the particular matter is accelerated towards the outlet hole by action of the 30 degrees incline of the hopper wall. In an area outside the outlet hole, this acceleration occurs especially in the x axis before the matter arrives above the discharge hole, where the core flow is under way and the direction of the matter's acceleration changes from the x axis to the y axis.