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of Victoria
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Faculty of Graduate Studies

Reza Mortezapour

  • BSc (Hormozgan University, Iran, 2008)

Notice of the Final Oral Examination for the Degree of Master of Applied Science

Topic

Flow Analysis of Non-Spherical Granular Materials in a Two-Dimensional Hopper

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Date & location

  • Monday, February 26, 2024
  • 3:00 P.M.
  • Virtual Defence

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

  • Dr. Ben Nadler, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Victoria (Co-Supervisor)

  • Dr. Peter Oshkai, Department of Mechanical Engineering, UVic (Co-Supervisor) 

External Examiner

  • Dr. Sardar Malek, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Victoria 

Chair of Oral Examination

  • Dr. Peter Loock, Department of Chemistry, UVic 

Abstract

Non-spherical granular materials have been of an interest for the various research communities and industries due to their widespread presence in natural and engineered systems. These materials, which include substances like soil, powders, and grains, exhibit complex behaviors influenced by factors such as grains interactions and boundary conditions. Under sufficient conditions, these materials can flow, ranking second only to water as the most handled materials in diverse industries. Therefore, understanding how these materials flow is important in different domains, from mining and construction to food and pharmaceutical industries.

Granular flow within hoppers, driven by gravity, provides cost-effective transportation and is widely used in material handling and storage systems. This research aims to investigate the behavior of non-spherical grains in flow within a hopper through implementing a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) suite and using a previously developed model for non-spherical granular flow. The simulation results reveal the effect of boundary conditions and model parameters on grains orientation and flow within the hopper.

The main motivation behind this research lies in establishing a foundation for utilizing the capabilities of a FEA suite to facilitate further investigations spanning a broad range of geometries and conditions, addressing challenges in numerical modeling of complex non-spherical granular flows.

The outcome of this research in successfully integrating the developed model into the suite and simulating granular flow in different conditions and geometries, can be employed for further studies with practical significance for industries dealing with granular materials. It lays the groundwork for implementing a versatile FEA suite to simulate complex behaviors of granular materials. This foundation is viable for further studies addressing potential issues related to grain flow in hoppers, aiming to optimize industrial processes and improve material handling and storage techniques.

 

Keywords: Granular flow · Non-spherical grains · Orientation · Boundary effect · Finite Element Analysis implementation

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