Solids Processing

Granular media continue to be among the most unpredictable materials found in nature and technological applications. For example, solids processing is a multi-billion dollar industry that remains a critical part of the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and consumer product industries. Some of the most common granular flow geometries seen in industrial solids processing applications are hoppers, rotating drums, and silos. The inability to predict the behavior of granular materials in these hoppers and silos can be quite costly, as poor designs can lead to jamming, segregation, or inadequate emptying.

The PFTL conducts experiments and modeling to explore the nature of granular flows within various granule processing devices.