GRAVITY FLOW CHARACTERISTICS OF SOYBEAN-MEAL

A round model bin was built in the laboratory to study the gravity flo w characteristics of soybean meal. Results showed that both material p roperties, such as moisture content and particle size, and bin configu rations, such as hopper angle and orifice size, had significant effect s on flow rate of soybean meal. Samples with a lower moisture content had a higher flow tate. Samples with nonuniform particle sizes had a h igher flow rate than those of relative uniform particles. Several flow models were reviewed for predicting gravity flow of powder materials from a hopper bin. A new flow model was developed to predict gravity f low of soybean meal by dimensional analysis. The developed model agree d well with experimental data.