NSF-IFPRI Collaboratory in Dense Particulate Flow

International Fine Particle Research Institute, Inc., Wilmington DE

Investigators

Abstract

CBET-101008 Mort, Paul R. Intellectual Merit: In recognition of advances in simulation and modeling of granular flows, the International Fine Particle Research Institute (IFPRI) is currently developing a collaborative program in which IFPRI will make available specific datasets from well controlled experiments wherein flow fields are well defined and stresses are measured over scales ranging from individual particles, chains and clusters of particles, and bulk particulate flows. The datasets include both model and industrially-relevant materials with distributed characteristics (e.g., size and shape) and a range of material properties (stiffness, restitution, etc). The challenge of the program is to develop theoretical approaches and models to describe the range of flows measured in the IFPRI experiments and validation thereof. Broader Impact - in the mutual interest of Industry, Academia and Sustainability: Industry requires useful methods to predict stress and flow behavior of granular and powder materials across industrially relevant flow regimes, as a function of operating conditions, material properties and particulate characteristics. In the trend toward sustainable processing and energy efficiency, industry strives toward the minimization of specific energy input in granular and powder processing, i.e., minimal power consumption at maximum production rate. The fundamental objectives of this project address this goal by providing a robust description of the physics of dense flows on particle and bulk scales, including energy dissipative interactions of realistic materials. As a foundation for predictive methods, the broader community of industrial and academic researchers, modelers and engineers need to define and understand the relevant regimes of dense particulate flow, the underlying physics therein, and the effect of boundary conditions, material properties and particle characteristics.