In a series of three articles with Process Industry Informer we examine case studies that are applying advanced powder testing in industrial applications. Firstly, we examine screw feeding.
Screw feeders are used throughout powder processing industries to dose material accurately and consistently into reaction systems, mixers, and other pieces of processing equipment. However, it can be difficult to predict the rate at which they will deliver any given powder.
A collaborative study with Gericke (Regensdorf, Switzerland), a specialist provider of feeding and mixing equipment, shows how to establish a secure method for predicting feed rate. It illustrates the value of multi-faceted powder characterisation and how equipment selection can be optimised with the right powder testing approach.
Establishing better selection, design or operating protocols for a powder handling process initially requires relevant powder properties to be identified. Many powder testing techniques are critically limited in terms of relevance. If you measure, for example, angle of repose or Hausner Ratio but see no correlation with process performance then that technique provides no value.
To identify properties most relevant to screw feeding, five different powders – Calcium Hydroxide, Maltodextrin, Milk Protein, Cellulose and Calcium Citrate – were characterised in terms of dynamic, shear and bulk powder properties, using an FT4 Powder Rheometer®.
Click here to read “Applying Advanced Powder Testing – Screw Feeders”.