(577f) Experimental Study of Multicomponent Segregation of Powders in Heap

Segregation is a well known phenomenon often observed while handling bulk solids. Segregation results in huge financial losses (in billions of US dollars) to bulk solids handling industries. Segregation is primarily driven by differences in size, density and shape of each component in a mixture.

A device called a SPECtester™ (sold by Micromeretics Inc.) was used to measure ingredient concentrations directly within a poured pile using near-infrared spectroscopy. This innovative device provides the segregation potential of each component in a multi-component powder, however specific guidance on how to reduce segregation still remains an open and challenging problem. In this work we will show how the segregation propensity of each component is affected by controlling the differences in size and concentration of another component. The results of this study show that segregation is a highly coupled problem; ways to mitigate segregation should be carefully selected and applied in solids handling unit operations.