Abstract
The flow of granular materials in silos, hoppers and some other containers has been handled smoothly by injecting air into them. Although various studies have been reported thus far, the satisfactory explanation of the mechanism of the flow has not yet been given.
In this study, for the purpose of carrying out a fundamental study of the flow characteristics of granular materials, air was injected from the upper side of a two-dimensional bin and the effect of the flow rate of the injected air on the flows of sands and glass beads was investigated.
Consequently, the relationship between the flow rate of air, the pressure distribution of air in the bin and the discharge rate of granular materials were examined and an experimental correlation based on the fundamental theory was obtained.
