Search for Factors Controlling Flow Behavior of Food Powder and Simple Adhesion Model Simulation

Abstract

Controlling flow behavior of micro food powder in the mixer is important for improving the efficiency of premix powder production. Four important factors (particle diameter, particle diameter distribution, particle shape, adhesion force) which could influence the flow behavior in the mixer were examined by several experiments and Distinct Element Method simulations. The experiments and simulations showed that the particle diameter, particle diameter distribution and particle shape had little effect on the flow behavior of the food powder in the rotating drum, while the adhesive force had a very large effect. On the basis of this finding, we proposed a simple adhesion model for representing the behavior of micro food powder in the mixer. It was found that the flow behavior of several kinds of food powder can be represented by the proposed model.