Mixing bulk materials in a vibrating machine with a horizontal working chamber

Abstract

In most areas of industry, mixing processes for bulk materials are widely used. They are most common in the construction, pharmaceutical, chemical, food industries. The quality of the resulting mixtures, namely their uniformity, is the main factor that determines the consumer properties of the products produced from them. Mixing bulk solids is a complex process. At the same time, both direct mixing and separation (segregation) of the components of the mixture take place, which are affected by the characteristics of the materials, operating conditions, instrumentation of the process. Further research in the designated area. The article presents a description of the developed experimental setup, which consists of a universal vibrating stand and a horizontal modeling device, the axis of which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vibrator. An agitator of original design can be installed in the device. The design of the vibrator of the universal vibrating stand allows to receive circular, elliptical and directed fluctuations of the model device. The method of measuring the oscillation parameters of the model vibrating apparatus allows to record the trajectory of oscillations with the help of a cathetometer and photography and to determine the amplitudes. The experiments were performed on model materials - glass beads and granular polyethylene. They have good bulk properties and differ significantly in bulk density. The quality of mixing was assessed by sampling with subsequent analysis of their content and determination of the coefficient of heterogeneity. The article presents the results of experimental study of the influence of oscillation parameters and the presence of a stirrer of the original design, the axis of which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vibrator, on the quality of mixing materials with good bulk properties and significantly different bulk density. It is established that for such materials together with the process of mixing there is a process of separation (segregation). It is said that the introduction of the stirrer into the vibrating fluidized bed of bulk materials prevents the separation process, which is characteristic of some oscillation frequencies under the action of a single vibration. But in general, the use of the stirrer did not improve the quality of mixing components.