TY - JOUR TI - Effect of powder flow properties on the process performance of loss-in-weight feeders DO - https://doi.org/doi:10.7282/T39025N7 PY - 2015 AB - This thesis focuses on the flow properties of catalyst support materials and their behaviors in loss-in-weight feeders. The flow properties of nine common catalyst support materials were measured: Coarse Alumina, Fine Alumina, Fine Zeolite, Molybdenum oxide, Satintone, Titania, Versal 300, Y-655 and Zeolite. The flow properties included particle size distribution, wet and dry impedance at 100Hz, FT4 tests including shear cell (cohesion, Unconfined Yield Strength UYS, Major Principle Stress MPS and Flow Function FF), compressibility (Conditioned Bulk Density CBD and percentage change in volume after compression CPS), permeability (Pressure Drop PD), Stability and Variable Flow Rate (Rep+VFR) (Basic Flowability Energy BFE, Stability Index SI, Flow Rate Index FRI and Special Energy SE). Principal component analysis was performed to analyze these flow properties and find the most representative materials for feeder tests (Coarse Alumina, Fine Alumina and Satintone). Different material properties were found to be correlated using multivariate analysis. The feeding performance of the Coarse Alumina, Fine Alumina and Satintone was measured using Schenck Accurate Purefeed AP-300 loss-in-weight feeder. The instantaneous feedrate was obtained every 0.1s. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was calculated and used to characterize the feeder behaviors. This makes a better understanding of the impact of powder material properties, device design, and operating conditions on the variability in powder feed rate in loss-in-weight feeders. The flow properties of catalyst support materials were characterized systematically and their effects on the process performance in loss-in-weight feeders could be used to aid in the proper selection of feeder tooling for a given powder. KW - Chemical and Biochemical Engineering KW - Powders KW - Bulk solids flow KW - Catalysts LA - eng ER -