Investigation of discharging flow behavior of powder in the conical feeding silo: effect of BINSERT-type aided flowing device

In the fluidization process of nylon powder, maintaining a uniform flow of powder in the feed silo is crucial to reduce powder agglomeration and facilitate the fluidization process. In this study, BINSERT was applied to improve the flow properties of powder in the feeding silo. The discharge process of nylon powder in silos equipped with different dip angles of BINSERT was simulated using discrete element method (DEM). The DEM model considered fine-scale van der Waals forces, and a novel slicing method was employed to simplify the DEM model. The effect of BINSERT on powder flow behavior was systematically analyzed. The results indicate that the powder exhibits a more uniform velocity distribution as the BINSERT dip angle increases. The flow pattern gradually transitions from Funnel flow to Mass flow. Furthermore, the installation of BINSERT improves the pressure distribution on the silo walls, enhancing the reliability of the silo.