Dimensional Analysis of Granular Flow

September 21, 2011 MECH 3050 - 004

List of Figures Figure 1: Constant Starting Height ........................................................................................................... 5 Figure 2: Constant Orifice Diameter ......................................................................................................... 5

List of Tables Table 1: Spherical Diameter of Material................................................................................................... 3 Table 2: Particle and Tube Properties ....................................................................................................... 3 Table 3: Bulk Density Measurements ....................................................................................................... 3 Table 4: Hydraulic Diameter of Plate Orifice ........................................................................................... 4 Table 5: Experimental results for constant starting height ........................................................................ 4 Table 6: Experimental results for constant orifice size ............................................................................. 4

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Dimensional Analysis of Granular Flow

Abstract/Objectives In this experiment, properties of granular flow were examined. The effects of various factors on mass flow rate were observed. These factors included tube diameter, column height, plate orifice dimensions, particle diameter, and bulk density. This experiment was conducted by pouring polycarbonate beads into a vertical tube. The mass flow rate under different conditions was calculated by recording the total time it required for the polycarbonate beads to empty into a bucket placed beneath the tube. Procedure Before the experiment was performed, the tube diameter was recorded. Ten diameter measurements of the polycarbonate beads were made with a Vernier caliper. The average of the ten measurements was recorded in Table 1. The bulk density of the material was measured by taking the mass of 250 mL of material in a measuring cup five times and then taking an average bulk density. In the first part of the experiment, the tube was filled with 121.92 cm (48 inches) of polycarbonate beads, and a plate with an orifice measuring 5.084 cm x 5.084 cm was placed under the tube below the stopper plate. A bucket was placed beneath the tube to capture the polycarbonate beads. As the stopper plate was removed, a stop watch was used to record the time from when the flow began to when the flow stopped. After the flow ceased, the mass of the material inside the bucket was recorded. This was repeated for five more plates containing orifices with dimensions of 4.449 cm x 4.449 cm, 3.811 cm x 3.811 cm, 3.177 cm x 3.177 cm, 2.54 cm x 2.54 cm, and 1.907 cm x 1.907 cm, respectively. For the second part of the experiment, the 2.54 cm x 2.54 cm plate was the only plate used, and the tube was filled to heights of 121.92, 91.44, 60.96, and 30.48 cm (48, 36, 24, and 12 inches), respectively. This part of the experiment was conducted in the same way as the first part by recording the total time of flow and measuring the total mass collected in the bucket in order to calculate mass flow rate. To process this data, the particle and tube properties such as material, orifice shape, spherical diameter, and tube diameter were recorded in Table 2. The average spherical diameter of the particles was calculated from ten measurements and can be found in Table 1. In Table 3, the average bulk density of the material was calculated from five measurements. Table 5 was used to organize the data that resulted from a constant starting height. It was completed using equations for Sample calculations for these are included in equations 1-5. A graph showing (Figure 1) was created from Table 5. Table 6 was used to organize data resulting from different starting heights and a constant orifice diameter. It was completed similarly to Table 5, and its data was used to create a graph showing (Figure 2). A power fit line and equation was developed for the line graphs in order to determine the constants in the equations 6 and 7. With these values, the constants C1 and C2 in equations 8 and 9 are obtained. The average value of the constants C1 and C2 was found and substituted into equation 10 along with the values of

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Results and Conclusions Some inconsistencies in the results were observed from the first part of the experiment where the starting height was held constant. For example, it was expected that the time required for the tube to drain would increase down the column since the orifice diameter decreased. However, the time decreases between the first and second trial from 24.19 seconds to 17.94 seconds. An increase was seen in subsequent columns. This discrepancy may be due to starting or stopping the stop watch too early or too late. Another source of error, however small, was likely due to an inexact starting height. Also, a small amount of another polycarbonate material was mixed with the material being tested. The spherical diameter or bulk density of the other material was probably not the same as the material that was recorded. The recorded time was also affected by the jamming of the stopper plate. Other possible sources of error can be attributed to the accuracy of the mass scale, the Vernier caliper, and the stop watch. During the second part of the experiment where orifice diameter was held constant, time decreased as starting height decreased, as expected. The same sources of error were expected for this part of the experiment. Another possibility which could cause the tube to take longer to drain at larger starting heights is the bunching of material near the tube exit.

Table 1: Spherical Diameter of Material Polycarbonate Bead Diameter, ds (cm) Measurement # Diameter 1 0.227 2 0.211 3 0.255 4 0.280 5 0.260 6 0.326 7 0.293 8 0.282 9 0.311 10 0.301 Average 0.2746

Material Orifice Shape

Table 2: Particle and Tube Properties Polycarbonate Square 0.2746 cm 10.098 cm

Spherical Diameter Tube Diameter

Measurement # 1 2 3 4 5

Table 3: Bulk Density Measurements Bulk Density Mass (kg) Volume (mL) Volume (m3) 0.195 250 0.00025 0.190 250 0.00025 0.210 250 0.00025 0.210 250 0.00025 0.220 250 0.00025 Average Bulk Density

Density (kg/m3) 780 760 840 840 880 820

Table 4: Hydraulic Diameter of Plate Orifice

( ) )

Plate # 1 2 3 4 5 6

a (cm) 5.084 4.449 3.811 3.177 2.54 1.907

b (cm) 5.084 4.449 3.811 3.177 2.54 1.907

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5.084 4.449 3.811 3.177 2.54 1.907

h (cm)

( ) 443.99

Table 5: Experimental results for constant starting height Time (s) Mass (kg) (cm) ( ) ( ) 5.084 4.449 3.811 3.177 2.540 1.907 18.5142 16.2018 13.8784 11.5696 9.2498 6.9446 24.19 17.94 24.78 39.24 78.93 187.03 6.615 6.590 6.895 6.955 6.930 6.600 0.27346 0.36733 0.27825 0.17724 0.08780 0.03529

121.92

269.4594 361.9561 274.1793 174.6471 86.5155 34.7737

h (cm)

( ) 443.991 332.993 221.996 110.998

Table 6: Experimental results for constant orifice size Time (s) Mass (kg) ( ) ( ) ( ) 2.540 9.2498 78.93 59.38 38.87 19.06 6.93 5.105 3.34 1.63 0.087799 0.085972 0.085927 0.085519

121.92 91.44 60.96 30.48

86.5145 84.7143 84.6699 84.2679

450 400 350 300 1 250 200 150 100 50 0 0 2 4 6 8 10 3 Figure 1: Constant Starting Height 87 86.5 86 1 85.5 85 84.5 84 83.5 0 50 100 150 200 250 2 Figure 2: Constant Orifice Diameter If a trend line was fitted to the points in Figure 1, a considerably steep slope was revealed. Consequently, it could be concluded that the mass flow rate was affected by the parameter 3, which relates the hydraulic diameter of the orifice and the spherical diameter of the material passing through the orifice. In Figure 2, no clear trend was seen between the points. From the data collected in Figure 2, mass flow rate did not seem to be affected by the parameter 2, which relates the height of the material within the column to the spherical diameter of the material. More data would be required to further examine the effect of this parameter on mass flow rate. From Table 6, it can be inferred that mass flow rate was affected by the height of the material in the column alone. A decrease in mass flow rate was seen as the height of the material in the column was decreased. From Figure 1, the constants B and n3 were revealed to be and 2.3108, respectively. The constants A and n2 were revealed to be 0.0008 and 0.0154, respectively, from Figure 2. The constants C1 and C2 were obtained. The average of the constants was labeled C. For the final equation, C, n2, and n3 were substituted into equation 10. 300 350 400 450 500 y = 78.127x0.0154 12 14 16 18 20 y = 0.4915x2.3109

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