Influence of geometric distortions on Wall pressures in silos during gravity discharge

SERGIO A. ELASKAR; LUIS A. GODOY

Mendoza

Congreso; MECOM - Mendoza; 1999

AMCA

In this paper is presented a study about of sensibility de wall pressure with respect to geometric distortions during the steady state discharging in silos by gravity action. It was assumed that the behavior of a non-Newtonian fluid like the granular solids can properly be described by the previous model developed by the authors. The finite element method, jointly with the virtual power equation and penalty functions to enforce incompressibility, was used for numerically modeling the flow throughout the silo. The silo walls are considered rigid and the distortions are with axial symmetry. It was verified that the distortions produce changes in the pressure distributions on the silo walls, however these changes are a local phenomenon. Finally was shown that the internal imperfections produce higher wall pressures that the external imperfections.