Abstract

SANTOYO, F.; GUATEMALA, G.; OROZCO, I.  and  ARRIOLA, E.. The S-valve: modeling granular solids flow using dimensionless numbers. Rev. Mex. Ing. Quím [online]. 2010, vol.9, n.2, pp.179-188. ISSN 1665-2738.

In this work, Pi-Buckingham Method of Dimensional Analysis was used to obtain a simple mathematical model to predict flow of solids from a novel control valve known as "S-valve" or "spitting valve". Parameters of the model were: particle diameter and density (rice, green coffee beans and lentil), relative diameter of the horizontal section of the valve, system operation pressure and air superficial velocity. Two S-valves prototypes, built in acrylic pipe of 0.04 and 0.02 meters diameter, were used. The experiments were run at room temperature and at two operation pressures of 7 and 8 x 10⁵ Pa. For the grains we used, the obtained model fit experimental data reasonable well (98% for rice, 85% for green coffee beans, and 97% for lentil).

Keywords : S-valve; solids flow rate; dimensionless numbers; Pi-Buckingham; mathematical modeling.