Influence of crosswise non-homogeneity of particulate flow on residence time distribution in a continuous mixer

The objective of the study is to develop a mathematical model of continuous mixing of granular materials, which takes into account the crosswise non-homogeneity of particulate flow inside a mixer. The target function of modeling is the residence time distribution of a tracer injected into the inflow. The model is built on the basis of the theory of Markov chains. The working space of a mixer is presented as a 2D array of perfectly mixed cells, through which the tracer travels according to the matrix of transition probabilities. The model covers the tendency of the tracer to upward/downward segregation. Finally, for a given flow pattern, the model allows calculating the RTD curves for various throughputs and for various properties of an imperfect tracer.