https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?

R=19780005320 2018-04-21T03:04:05+00:00Z

STORAGE AND FEEDING OF COAL

A. W . Jenike
J. W . Carson
Jenike and Johanson, Inc.
No. B i l l e r i c a , M a s s a c h u s e t t s
 ABSTRACT

R e l i a b l e feeding of c o a l £ran s t o r a g e b i n s t o process

r e q u i r e s t h e knowledge of t h e behavior of c o a l during flow.
Sponsored by AIME Research, i n flow of bulk s o l i d s was under-
taken i n t h e 1950's by J e n i k e , and led t o t h e development of
flow a b i l i t y t e s t i n g equipment and of t h e 'Mass Flow" concept
of design f o r r e l i a b l e flow. The theory has s i n c e been
expanded t o two-phase, s o l i d s - g a s system, and has found world
wide a p p l i c a t i o n i n t h e design of s t o r a g e and feeding systems.
 STORAGE AND FEEDING OF COAL
by
Andrew W. J e n i k e and John W. Carson
J e c i k e and Johanson, I n c .
C o n s u l t i n g Engineers
2 Executive Park Drive
No. B i l l e r i c a , Massachusetts 01862

HISTORICAL

I n 1954 t h e Coal and Minerals B e n e f i c i a t i o n D i v i s i o n s of AIME

sponsored a s t u d y on t h e "Flow of Bulk S o l i d s " proposed by D r . Andrew

W. J e n i k e . The Engineering Foundation provided seed money. The Univ-
e r s i t y of Utah, t h e American I r o n and S t e e l I n s t i t u t e and t h e N a t i o n a l
S c i e n c e Foundation provided t h e bulk of t h e r e s e a r c h funds. Under
J e n i k e s l e a d e r s h i p , a Bulk S o l i d s Flow Laboratory was s e t up a t t h e
U n i v e r s i t y of Utah i n 1956; by 1962 a t h e o r y of flow o f bulk s o l i d s
a s w e l l a s equipment t o measure t h e p e r t i n e n t s o l i d s p r o p e r t i e s had
been developed and proved i n i n d u s t r i a l a p p l i c a t i o n s t 3 s t o r a g e b i n s
and f e e d e r s .
The d e s i g n method h a s been v e r i f i e d tkrough e x t e n s i v e e x p e r i m e n t a l
work, e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e United Kingdom [42 1 and Gernany r15 1, and a p p l i e d
t o hundreds of s t o r a g e p l a n t s and r e a c t o r v e s s e l s a l l o v e r t h e world.
I n t h e p a s t t e n y e a r s t h e t h e o r y of flow has been extended t o two-
phase, s o l i d - g a s systems.

FEEDING
Consider c o a l being f e d from a s t o r a g e b i n o r hopper t o a p r o c e s s .
The f e e d e r is designed t o f e e d a t a g i v e n r a t e a g a i n s t a g i v e n g a s p r e s s u r e .
But, f o r t h e f e e d e r t o o p e r a t e , c o a l must flow from t h e hopper i n t o t h e
f e e d e r uniformly a t t h e g i v e n r a t e . To a s s u r e such f l o w i t i s n e c e s s a r y
that: (a) t h e hopper l e a d i n g t o t h e f e e d e r be s u f f i c i e n t l y s t e e p and
smooth, @) t h e i n l e t a r e a i n t o t h e f e e d e r be s u f f i c i e n t l y l a r g e , and
( c ) t h e i n l e t a r e a be f u l l y l i v e and e f f e c t i v e . These c o n d i t i o n s a r e
r a r e l y s a t i s f i e d u n l e s s t h e b i n and f e e d e r have been designed on t h e
b a s i s of t h e flow t h e o r y s u p p o r t e d by measurements of t h e f l o w p r o p e r t i e s
of t h e used c o a l s .

* Numbers i n b r a c k e t s r e f e r t o r e f e r e n c e s a t end of paper

FLOW PATTE[ U S
When t h e hopper, i . e . t h e converging p a r t of a s t o r a g e b i n , i s
s u f f i c i e n t l y s t e e p and smooth and t h e hopper o u t l e t l a r g e r t h a n c r i t i c a l
f o r t h e l e a s t f r e e - f lowing c o a l i n q u e s t i o n , c o a l flows o u t of t h e b i n
by g r a v i t y without any s t a g n a n t r e g i o n s i n t h e b i n . Such a flow p a t t e r n
i s r e f e r r e d t o a s "mass-flow." A mass-flow b i n is shown, and i t s p r o p e r t i e s
l i s t e d , i n F i g . 1.
I f t h e hopper i s not s u f f i c i e - l y s t e e p and smooth, c o a l flows only
in ii narrow channel which forms w i t h i n s t a g n a n t c o a l . T h i s flow p a t t e r n
i s r e f e r r e d t o a s "funnel f l o u . " The c r i t i c a l o u t l e t dimensions of a
f u n n e l f l o w hopper a r e always l a r g e r t h a n t h a s e of a mass-flow hopper,
sometimes, s e v e r a l times l a r g e r . A f u n n e l - f l o w b i n i s shown, and t h e
properties l i s t e d , i n Fig. 2 .
The r e g i o n s of mass-flow a r e i n d i c a t e d approximately i n F i g u r e s
3 and 4 a s a f u n c t i o n of t h e hopper s l o p e a n g l e and t h e f r i c t i o n a n g l e
between c o a l and t h e w a l l of a c i r c u l a r cone and a long wedge, r e s p e c t -
ively .
CRITICAL HOPPER OUTLET
Coal a r c h e s a c r o s s a hu,per o u t l e t when t h e s t r e n g t h of t h e c o a l i s
g r e a t e r t h a n t h e s t r e s s e s which a c t i n t h e a r c h . The flow c r i t e r i o n
f o l l o w s from t h a t o b s e r v a t i o n : c o a l w i l l flow provided i t s cohesive
s t r e n g t h i s l e s s t h a n t h e s t r e s s e s i n a p o t e n t i a l o b s t r u c t i o n t o flow
( arch, stable rathole). The s t r e n g t h of a g i v e n c o a l i s a f u n c t i o n
of: (a) t h e degree of compaction, which i s measured by t h e c o n s o l i d a t i n g
p r e s s u r e a p p l i e d d u r i n g compaction, ( b ) time of a p p l i c a t i o n of t h e con-
s o l i d a t i n g pressure, (c) moisture content, (d) temperature. The f u n c t i o n
of s t r e n g t h v e r s u s c o n s o l i d a t i n g p r e s s u r e , under g i v e n c o n d i t i o n s (b), (c)
and ( d ) , i s r e f e r r e d t o a s t h e f l o w - f u n c t i o n FF, F i g . 5. Evidently,
t h e h i g h e r t h e FF - 1ine l i e s , t h e more s t r e n g t h a m a t e r i a l develops
and t h e l e s s f r e e - f i o w i n g i t is. The method used t o measure t h e flow-
f u n c t i o n and t h e w a l l f r i c t i o n a n g l e i s d e s c r i b e d i n r e f e r e n c e s r L and 111.
The t h e o r y of o n e - p h a s e , s o l i d s o n l y , f l o w i s d e r i v e d i n r e f e r e n c e s r 1 , 3 , 5 ,
6 , 7 , 8 , 1 3 , 1 4 , ~ 7 1 and sumnarized i n r e f e r e n c e [ll']. Various a s p e c t s of t e s t i n g
m a t e r i a l s and proper b i n and f e e d e r d e s i g n a r e d e s c r i b e d i n r e f e r e n c e s
[9,10,1L,17,20,12,29,32,33-351.
APPLICATIONS
A t y p i c a l a p p l i c a t i o n of t h e t h e o r y r e s u l t s i n a s k e t c h such a s
shown i n P i g . 6. T h i s g i v e s t h e b i n and f e e d e r dimensions, t h e m a t e r i a l
find s u r f a c e f i n i s h of t h e hopper w a l l s [ e . g . 304SS-LB f i n i s h ] and t h e
;crew s i z e , rpm and horsepower. Note t h e d e s i g n of t h e screw i n which
i h e v o l u m e t r i c flow r a t e i n c r e a s e s from z e r o t o maximum i n t h e d i r e c t i o n
of c o a l flow w i t h i n t h e l e n g t h L of t h e f e e d e r i n l e t . T h i s is n e c e s s a r y
t o make t h e hopper o u t l e t f u l l y e f f e c t i v e and permit m a - - - f l o w .
Other a p p l i c a t i o n s a r e d e s c r i b e d i n t h e r e f e r e n c e s : l o a d s on
b i n w a l l s [24,26,37-391; d e s i g n o f moving bed r e a c t o r s [301; b r i q u e t t i n g
[15,16,L8] ; f l o w - c o r r e c t i v e i n s e r t s [18,19,211; i n - b i n b l e n a i n g [31] ;
b i n v i b r a t i o n s 1411; underground mining [4].

TWO -Pl?ASE , SOLID GAS SYSTEM3

I n t h e p a s t t e n y e a r s , t h e t h e o r y o f s i n g l e - p h a s e s o l i d s flow has
been extended t o two-phase s o l i d s - g a s systems. T h i s became n e c e s s a r y
i n t h e c a l c u l a t i o n o f f l o w r a t e s of powders o u t of hoppers. During t h e
flow of a s o l i d down a v e s s e l , t h e r e occur s i g n i f i c a n t bulk d e n s i t y
changes, a s t h e s o l i d f i r s t compacts under i n c r e a s i n g c o n s o l i d a t i n g
p r e s s u r e s , t h e n expands toward t h e hopper o u t l e t . The volume of t h e
? o r e s changes c o r r e s p o n d i n g l y g i v i n g r i s e t o g a s ( a i r ) p r e s s u r e changes
within the ?ores. This leads t o s i g n i f i c a n t gas pressure g r a d i e n t s i n
l i n e , impermeable m a t e r i a l s . These g r a d i e n t s add ( o r s u b t r a c t ) t o t h e
g r a v i t y f o r c e s which cause flow, and thus s i g n i f i c a n t l y a f f e c t t h e
flow r a t e [23,40], a s w e l l a s t h e c r i t i c a l o u t l e t dimensions f o r flow
wlthout a r c h i n g and t h e r a t e of s e t t l e m e n t of powders [361. Few
a n a l y s e s and results of a p p l i c a t i o n s of t h e two-phase t h e o r y have been
published t o l a t e , most of t h e work having been of p r o p r i e t a r y n a t u r e .
 REFERENCES

J e n i k e , A . W. and S h i e l d R. T . , "on t h e P l a s t i c Flow of Coulomb

S o l i d s Beyond O r i g i n a l F a i l u r e , " ASME, JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHANICS,
Vol 27, S e r t, No 4 , Dec 1959, pp 599-602.
J e n i k e , A. W . , E l s e y , P. J . and Woolley, R. H . , "Flow P r o p e r t i e s of
Bulk S o l i d s , " ASTM, PROCEEDINGS, Vol 60, 1960, pp 1168-1181.
J e n i k e , A . W., " ~ r a v i t yFlow of Eulk S o l i d s , " U n i v e r s i t y of Utah,
Engineering Experiment S t a t i o n , BULLETIN No 108, Oct 1961.
Jenike, A. W., and L e s e r , T . , "caving and Underground s u b s i d e n c e , "
SME of A I M , TRANSACTIONS, Mar 1962, pp 67-73.
J e n i k e , A . W. and Yen, B. C . , "Slope S t a b i l i t y i n A x i a l Symmetry,"
FIFTH SYMPOSIUM ON ROCK MECHANICS, Pergamon P r e s s , May 1962,
pp 689-711.
J e n i k e , A. W . , " ~ r a v i t yFlow of S o l i d s , " The I n s t i t u t i o n of Chemical
Engineers, TRANSACTIONS, Voi 40, No 5 , Oct 1962, pp 264-271.
Jenike, A . W., "A Flow - No-Flow C r i t e r i o n i n t h e G r a v i t y Flow of
Powders i n Converging Channels," F o u r t h I n t e r n a t i o n a l Congress on
Rheology, PROCEEDINGS, I n t e r c y i e n c e P u b l i s h e r , Aug 1963, P a r t 3 ,
pp 125-142.
J e n i k e , A . W., "Steady G r a v i t y Flow of F r i c t i o n a l - C o h e s i v e S o l i d s
i n Converging Channe 1 s ," ASME, JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHANICS, Vol 31,
S e r E, No 1, Mar 1964, pp 5-11.
Jenike, A. W., "Why Bins Don't FLOW," MECHANICAL ENGINEERING, Vol 86,
No 5, May 1964, pp 40-43.
Jenike, A. W., " ~ n t w i c k l u ne~i n e s Verfahrens z u r Verbesserung des
F l i e s s v e r h a l t e n s von gebunkerten S c h a t t g u t e r n , " BERGBAUWISSENSCHAFTEN,
No 19/20, Oct 1964, pp 443-447.
J e n i k e , A . W., "Storage and Flow of S o l i d s , " U n i v e r s i t y of Utah,
Engineering Experiment S t a t i o n , BULLETIN No 123, Nov 1964.
J e n i k e , A. W . , e r sBins, " THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF CHEMICAL
" ~ o ~ ~ and
PROCESS EQUIPMENT, Rheinhold, 1964, pp 546-559.
Johanson, J. R . , " S t r e s s and Ve1.ocity F i e l d s i n t h e G r a v i t y Flow of
Bulk Solids,"ASME, JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHANICS, Vol 31, S e r E ,
No 3 , Sept 1964, pp 499-506.
 J e n i k e , A . W., " ~ r a v i t yFlow of F r i c t i o n a l - C o l l e s i v e S o l i d s - Con-
vergence t o R a d i a l S t r e s s F i e l d s , " ASME, JOURNAL OF APPLIED
MECHANICS, Vol 32, S e r E , No 1, Mar 1965, pp 205-207.
.Iohanson, J . R., "Factors I n f l u e n c i n g t h e Design of Roll-Type
B r i q u e t t i n g P r e s s e s , " 9 t h B i e n n i a l Conference of t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l
B r i q u e t t i n g A s s o c i a t i o n , PROCEEDINGS, Sept. 1965, pp 17-30.
Johanson, J. R. , "A R o l l i n g Theory f o r G r a n u l a r S o l i d s , " ASME,
JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHANICS, Vol 32, S e r E , No 4 , Dec 1965,
pp 842-848.
li. Johanson, J. R . , " ~ e wDesign Concepts f o r Coal Bins and Hoppers, "
COAL AGE, J a n 1966, pp 104-108.
18. Johanson, J. R. and Kleysteuber, W. K., l low C o r r e c t i v e I n s e r t s
i n B i n s , " CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRESS, Vo. 6 2 , No 11, 1966,
pp 79-83.
Johanson, J . R., ' t h e Use of Flow-Corrective I n s e r t s i n B i n s ,
ASME, JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR INDUSTRY, Vol 88, S e r B , No 2 ,
May 1966, pp 224-230.
LO. J e n i k e , A . W., "Storage and Flow of S o l i d s , " SME of AIME,
TRANSACTIONS, S e p t . 1966, pp 267-275.
21. Johanson, J. R., " ~ i n b a u t e nf a r Bunker und S i l o s zur Verbesserung
d e r S c h ~ t t g u t b e w e g u n g , " BERGBAUWISSENSCHAFTEN, Vo. 14, 1967,
pp 85-90.
LL. Jenike, A . W., " Q u a n t i t a t i v e Design of Mass-Flow in," POWDER
TECHNOLOGY, Vol 1, 1967168, pp 237-244.
23. Bruf f , W. and J e n i k e , A . W . , "A S i l o f o r Ground ~ n t h r a c i t e , "
POWDER TECHNOLOGY, Vol i, 1967/68, pp 252-256.
L4. J e n i k e , A . W. and Johanson, J. R., i in ~ o a d s ", ASCE, JOURNAL,
S t 4 , Apr 1968, pp 1011-1041.
L5 Schwedes, J . , "F l i e s s v e r h a l t e n von S c h 8 t t g d t e r n i n Bunkern, "
Weinheim, Verlag Chemie 1968.
L6. J e n i k e , A . W. and Johanson, J . R . , "on t h e Theory of Bin ~ o a d s , "
ASME, JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR INDUSTRY, Vol 91, S e r B, No 2,
May 1969, pp 339-344.
Johanson, J . R . , " ~ f f e c tof I n i t i a l P r e s s u r e s on F l o w a b i l i t y of
B i n s , " ASME, JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR INDUSTRY, Vol 91, S e r B ,
No I , May 1969, pp 395-400.
Johanson, J . R., "The Use of Laboratory T e s t s i n t h e Design and
Operation of B r i q u e t t i n g p r e s s e s , " 1 1 t h B i e n n i a l Conference of t h e
I n s t i t u t e f o r B r i q u e t t i n g and Agglomeration, PROCEEDINGS, Sept 1969,
pp 135-144.
Johanson, J. R., "Feeding, I' CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Deskbook I s s u e ,
O d t 13, 1969, pp 75-83.
J e n i k e , A. W. and Johanson, J. R., "Solids Flow i n Bins and Moving
B ?us," CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRESS, Vol 66, No 6 , June 1970,
pp 3 1 - 3 4 ,
Johansnn, J . R., "1n- in Blending, I' CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PROGRESS,
Vol 66, No 6, June 1970, pp 50-55.
J e n i k e , A. W, and Johanson, J. R . , " ~ e v i e wof t h e P r i n c i p l e s of
Flow of Bulk S o l i d s , " C I M , TRANSACTIONS, Vol LXXIII, 1970, pp 141-146.
Johanson, J. R., "working Guide: Feeding and S t o r a g e ~ e t h o d s , "
CERAMIC AGE, Oct 1970, pp 25-30.
J e n i k e , A . W. and Johanson, J . R., " F l i e s s g e r e c h t e Siloformen ffir
~ c h a t t g a t e r ", AUFBEREITUNGS -TECHNIK, June 1971, pp 309-317.
Jenike, A. W., " Q u a n t i t a t i v e Design of Bins f o r R e l i a b l e Flow,"
MINERALS SCIENCE ENGINEERING (South A f r i c a ) , Vol 4, No 2, A p r 1972,
pp 3-13.
Johanson, J . R. and J e n i k e , A . W . , "Settlement of Powders i n V e r t i c a l
Channels Caused by Gas Escape, " ASME, JOURNAL OF APPLIED MECHANICS,
Vol 39, S e r E, No 4 , Dec 1972, pp 863-868.
Jenike, A. W., Johanson, J . R. and Carson, J. W . , in Loads -
P a r t 2: Concepts, " ASME, JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR INDUSTRY,
Vol 95, S e r B, No 1, Feb 1973, pp 1-5.
J e n i k e , A . W., Johanson, J. R. and Carson, J. W., i in Loads -
P a r t 3: Mass-Flow Bins, " ASME, JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR INDUSTRY,
Vol 95, S e r B , No 1, Feb 1973, pp 6-12.
Jen'ke, A. W., Johanson, J . R. and Carson, J. W . , i in Loads -
P a r t 4: Funnel-Flow Bins, " ASME, JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR IhDUSTRY ,
Vol 95, S e r B , No 1, Feb 1973, pp 13-16.
Reed, C . B . and Johanson, J . R . , "Feeding C a l c i n e Dust with a B e l t
Feeder a t Falconbridge, " ASME, JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR INDUSTRY,
Vol 95, S e r B, No 1, Feb 1973, pp 72-74.
41. Wei, M. L. and Johanson, J . R., " ~ l i m i n a t i o nof V i b r a t i o n s i n a n
Ore Unloading in," ASME, JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR INDUSTRY,
Vol 96, Ser B , No 3, Aug. 1974, pp 761-766.
42. Wright, H., "An E v a l u a t i o n of t h e J e n i k e Bunker Design ~ e t h o d , "
ASME, JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING FOR INDUSTRY, Vol 95, S e r B , No 1 ,
Feb 1973, p p 48-54.
 f irst-in,
f i r s t -out,
deaerates,
remixes,
f e e d s uniformly
a t constant d e n s i t y .

Fig. 1 MassFlowBin
 f i r s t -in,
last - o u t ,
segregates,
rdtholes,
flushes.

Fig. L Funnel Flow Bin

 10 20 30 40
hopper s l o p e a n g l e Q c degrees

Fi,. 3 Ranges of Mass Flow and Funnel Flow i n Conical Hoppers

 nopper s l o p e angle 8 degrees
P

Fig. 4 Ranges of Mass Flow and Funnel Flow i n P l a n e Flow Cha-~nels

Pig. 5 Relationship Betweenstrength and C o n s o l i d a t i q Pressure
for a Typical Bulk Solid
 screw . i i d . , r,)m an+ HP
s ! ~ e c iife d

Fig. 6 T y 2 i c a l Mass F l u w B i n dnd Feejer D e s i g n