Aspects of process engineering in silo operation and their effects on silo statics

For trouble-free silo operation, technical issues as well as their effects on silo statics should be considered. An essential point here is the silo's flow profile. Mass flow - that is, the flow throughout the silo without the formation of dead zones - partly facilitates the silo's operation, preventing bridging and segregation. At the same time, simultaneous and uniform stress occurs against the silo walls. Mass flow in a silo is essentially determined by the geometry of silo hopper and by friction of the bulk material against the hopper wall. A complete knowledge of data about the bulk material is the starting point for process engineering of silo configuration, static calculations and silo operation. Characterization of a bulk material is possible, for example, using DIN ISO 3435. The DIN EN 1991-4 explains the data that are necessary for the static measurement and the DIN EN 617 refers to silo operation.