Hopper Wall Simulation in ANSYS to Determine Displacement Due to Single Ball Impact

Deformation of the silo wall due to the single ball impact is modeled in ANSYS. The material in silo, as a Winkler bed, is replaced by spring-damper elements and the spring stiffness and damper coefficients are evaluated of the granular material and wall properties. The granular material deformation under the specified force is measured to evaluate the granular stiffness to be used for determining the appropriate spring stiffness in ANSYS model. Geometrical parameters and boundary conditions are set according to the properties of a laboratory silo containing magnetite concentrate. Effects of impact parameters including the ball size and the impact position on the hopper displacement are taken into account. Comparison of simulation results with experimental data confirms that the wall displacement is an indicator of the ability of impact to solve obstruction. Simulation will be an alternative to expensive and time consuming experimental procedures for specifying the optimal impacts for obstruction solution.