12/14/21, 11:30 AM Hopper and silo bulk discharge flow rate calculation

PowderProcess.net
Menu

Engineering Resources
access
Welcome to

Hoppers and silos bulk discharge rates calculation

How to calculate the flowrate of bulk solids unloading from a

hopper
Question or remark ? Please contact us at admin@powderprocess.net

Section summary

1. Bulk discharge
flow : definitions and calculation methods

2. Hopper
discharge rate calculation : using powder flow
properties measured with shear cells

3. Hopper
discharge rate calculation : using empirical methods

4. Bulk discharge rate Excel

calculation tool

This page presents different methods found in the literature

allowing to perform hopper discharge flow rate calculation and
estimate the bulk mass flow rate of powder from an existing bin,
or size a new hopper / silo to get a required discharge flow
rate.

1. Definition
Process Engineers must often estimate the flow of powder, or more
generally bulk solids, that they can get out of a hopper
through
gravity unloading. Indeed, the calculation of the mass
flowrate of particulate solids allows to size the outlet of
hoppers or silos, calculate cycle times or make sure that the
discharge capacity is enough for the downstream process.
However,
the calculation of the rate of discharge of a free flow of
solids is not easy and depends on many
parameters. This page
presents different methods found in the literature that can be
used to evaluate the discharge rate
of powder out of a hopper.

https://powderprocess.net/Powder_Flow/Bulk_Discharge_Rate.html 1/6
12/14/21, 11:30 AM Hopper and silo bulk discharge flow rate calculation

2. Hopper discharge rate calculation method 1 : using shear

PowderProcess.net

Engineering Resources
Menu

access
cells data
In order to estimate the discharge rate of a silo, one of the
most reliable method is 1st to have assessed the
flowability of the
material that will be stored in the hopper.
Different methods are available for evaluating the flowability but
one of the most
reliable, which allows to have quantitative data
and not only a relative assessment is to use shear cells. This method
requires a lot of testing in order to determine the flow
properties of powder but gives
the basis for the design of hoppers and
the estimation of
discharge flow. The method is making the distinction in between
coarse and fine powders.

These formulas are reported in the article : Using

fundamental powder properties to optimize flowability, Tablets
and
Capsules, Mehos et al, 2017

Dell India

Dell Inspiron 14 Laptop -

w/ 11th gen Intel Core -

14" FHD Screen - 16GB -…

₹66,990
Buy 14-inch Inspiron 5410 laptop, always-

ready laptop that connects you to your…

Shop now

Top
5 Most Popular 

1.
Pneumatic transport design guide

2. Ribbon
blenders

3. Powder mixing

4. Hoppers design guide

5. Measuring degree of
mixing

--------

Top 5 New  

1. Continuous Dry
Mixing

2. Mixing speed

3. Mixer cycle time

optimization

4.
Batch / continuous mixing comparison

5. Energy Savings

https://powderprocess.net/Powder_Flow/Bulk_Discharge_Rate.html 2/6
12/14/21, 11:30 AM Hopper and silo bulk discharge flow rate calculation

PowderProcess.net
Menu

Engineering Resources
access

Dell India

Dell Inspiron 14 Laptop -

w/ 11th gen Intel Core -

14" FHD Screen - 16GB -…

₹66,990
Buy 14-inch Inspiron 5410 laptop, always-

ready laptop that connects you to your…

Shop now

2.1 Coarse powder discharge rate

The following formula can be used for assessing the discharge

rate of coarse powders :

Equation 1 : Hopper discharge

rate for coarse solids

With :

ms = hopper discharge rate in kg/s

B = outlet diameter of the hopper in m

ρbo = powder bulk

density at outlet conditions in kg/m3

θ' =mass
flow hopper angle in deg

2.2 Fine powder discharge rate

Fine powder flow is generally lower than the flow of coarse
powder. The fluidization and air balancing - flow of air from
downstream to top - being detrimental to the mass flowrate of
powder.

The following formula can be used to assess the discharge rate of

fine powders.

Equation
2 : Hopper discharge rate for fine powders

With :

ms = hopper discharge rate in kg/s

https://powderprocess.net/Powder_Flow/Bulk_Discharge_Rate.html 3/6
12/14/21, 11:30 AM Hopper and silo bulk discharge flow rate calculation

B PowderProcess.net

= outlet diameter of the hopper in m

Menu

ρbo =
powder
Engineering bulk density at outlet conditions, flowing in kg/m3

Resources
access
ρbmax = powder bulk density at the major consolidation
stress in the hopper in kg/m3
Ko =permeability of
the powder at outlet conditions in m/s

To use this method, it is

thus necessary to have defined the flowability of the powder, and
especially the
bulk density of the material as a function of the
stress.

The major consolidation stress

can be calculated with the Janssen equation :

Equation
3 : Janssen equation

With :
D = cylinder diameter - for the shear cell
experiment - in m

h = depth of powder in the cylinder section in m

k = Janssen coefficient, if unknown can be assumed at 0.4 as 1st

approximation

Φ' is the wall friction angle in deg

σ1 = major consolidation stress

ρb = bulk density at
hopper outlet, not flowing

3. Hopper discharge rate calculation method 2 : empirical

methods
These formulas are reported in the Perry, 8th edition

3.1 Coarse particles (>400 microns)

2 types of equations are usually found in the literature : the
Johanson equation and the Berverloo equation. To be noted
that
these equations will allow to estimate the flow but in no
case to have an accurate value.

Beverloo equation is the most direct expression, although

different "lump" parameters are used. It is important to note
that,
for fine particles, the Beverloo equation will overestimate
the discharge rate (actually, when discharging fine particles, air
fluidization happen which is detrimental to the discharge rate
compared to large particles).

Beverloo Equation

Equation
4 : Beverloo equation (discharge rate through outlet for coarse
particles)

W discharge rate in kg/s

C empirical discharge coefficient

k empirical shape coefficient

ρb is the bulk density in kg/m3

g is the acceleration of gravity 9.81 m.s-2

dp is the particle diameter in m

d0 is the discharge diameter in m (note for no circular

outlet, use hydraulic diameter 4*(cross sectional area)/(outlet
perimeter)

https://powderprocess.net/Powder_Flow/Bulk_Discharge_Rate.html 4/6
12/14/21, 11:30 AM Hopper and silo bulk discharge flow rate calculation

C=f(ρ b) and is in the range 0.55<C<0.65

PowderProcess.net
Menu

k=f(particle
Engineering shape, hopper angle) and is in the range 1<k<2
except for sand where it is 2.9
Resources
access

If acknown, consider C=0.58 and k=1.6

The Johanson equation has the following form :

Johanson Equation

Equation
5 : Johanson equation (discharge rate through outlet for coarse
particles)

m_discharge discharge rate in kg/s

θ angle of hopper deg

ρb bulk density in kg/m3

g is the acceleration of gravity 9.81 ms-2

Table 1
: Parameters for Johanson equation

Parameter Conical hopper Wedge hopper

B D, diameter of outlet W

A Pi*D^2/4 WL

m 1 0

3.2 Fine particles (<400 microns)

As mentionned above, the flow of fine particles will be sensitive

to the flow of air returning from the discharge point and
opposing
the flow of materials. The discharge rate can then be 100 times
less than what is predicted by Beverloo or
Johanson equations.
Carleton proposes an equation to estimate the discharge rate of
fine particles.

Carleton Equation

Equation
6 : Carleton equation (discharge rate through outlet for fine
particles)

V0 average velocity of solids dicharging

A,B given above

ρp particle density

4. Excel calculation tool : Bulk discharge rate calculator

This calculator allows to estimate the discharge capacity of a
hopper, using the formula explained above. It is for
information
and illustration only, since, as explained in the articles, the
formula are giving very approximative results.

Bulk
discharge rate Excel calculator

https://powderprocess.net/Powder_Flow/Bulk_Discharge_Rate.html 5/6
12/14/21, 11:30 AM Hopper and silo bulk discharge flow rate calculation

PowderProcess.net
Menu

Engineering Resources
access

Pipe Pressure
Highly Reliable & Accurate
VOLFRAM Offer Reliable & Complete Solution For Steam Pressure Reduction for Process Plants

volfram.in OPEN

Copyright www.PowderProcess.net

The content of PowderProcess.net is copyrighted

but no warranty nor liability is ensured. The content of this
site is to be seen as a help and important information and

calculation must always be double checked by the user through

the quality procedure of his organization or by checking
another source. The user must always respect

all applicable
regulation. The use of the information is at the user and its
organization own risk and own cost.

About privacy and cookies on this site

Our site uses cookies and other technologies

from 3rd party companies. Access our Privacy Policy in the
"About" page to know more about those cookies and

technologies
. Further use of this site will be considered consent.

 www.powderprocess.net is secured by SSL encryption

Follow us on Twitter

https://powderprocess.net/Powder_Flow/Bulk_Discharge_Rate.html 6/6