EFCE Working Party on Mechanics of Particulate Solids

Technical Projects

WP Task: Wall friction project 

Prior investigations by the Working Party encountered considerable scatter in the results of wall friction tests obtained by various experienced bodies testing bulk materials on contact surfaces that were carefully selected to have common properties. An initial series of tests will be conducted by UK participants and a preliminary examination made of the reports and test results to review the suitability of the process, procedure and presentation of results.

Contact: L. Bates (Ajax Equipment, Bolton, UK)

WP Task: Validation of DEM Simulation

The WPMPS workshop endeavors to increase the acceptance of DEM-codes for simulation of bulk solids behavior. This requires the codes to be validated, which in turn needs carefully selected problems with a good experimental database for test runs. As an initial step a workshop shall produce a framework for engagement between academic researchers, professional software companies and potential industrial beneficiaries of DEM numerical simulations and identify areas that need significant further development both in terms of computational methodologies as well as the experimental validation procedures. It is hoped that in the longer term, the group of researchers brought together for the event will form the nucleus of a wider project formation aimed at setting the European/International standards of "best practice" in DEM Simulation software development and implementation in a broad range of industry sectors. The workshop on DEM will be co-chaired by Profs. S. Luding (Delft), J. Ooi (Edinburgh) and U. Tuzun (Surrey) an run on Wednesday August 30 ^th , 2006 during the 5th International Conference for Conveying and Handling of Particulate Solids, in Sorrento, Italy.

Contacts: S. Luding (TU Delft, NL), J. Ooi (U Edinburgh, UK) and U. Tuzun (U Surrey, UK)

WP Task: Guide to the Specification of Bulk Solids for Storage and Handling Contracts

Much information is available on the properties of bulk material, but broad industrial experience indicates that there is often inadequate appreciation of the characteristics that are relevant to the satisfactory performance of solids handling equipment in the formation of a contract between the purchaser and supplier. The British Materials Handling Board has undertaken to remedy the deficiency by preparing a ‘Guide to the Specification of Bulk Solids for Storage and Handling Applications’. The Working Party endorsed this initiative and looks to co-operate with a view to attaining European acceptance of the document as a working tool for agreeing the requirements between user and supplier of the value of relevant physical properties of bulk materials that are to be used in any solids storage and/or handling project. This Guide is in preparation for draft circulation.

Contact: L. Bates (Ajax Equipment, Bolton, UK)

WP Task: Standard Shear Testing Technique (SSTT)

Since 1969 the characterization of bulk solids has been the focus of the work of the “Working Party on the Mechanics of Particulate Solids” of the European Federation of Chemical Engineers. Led by John Williams and Jan Novosad the WPMPS developed the first international standard on the measurement of the flow properties of bulk solids during the 1970’s and 80’s. After its publication in 1989 this “Standard Shear Testing Technique for Particulate Solids Using the Jenike Shear Cell” or SSTT became the common worldwide basis for silo design.

Globalization has made us feel that anything documented in internationally accessible standards must be usable for everybody. However, the knowledge about proper shear testing spreads only slowly through the educated world. It is my believe that one reason for this unsatisfactory state remains the language barrier. Therefore, after the German translation published in 2005, now an Czech edition of the SSTT is being prepared.

Contact: Jiri Zegzulka (U Ostrava, CZ)