The granular flow in a two-dimensional flat-bottomed hopper with eccentric discharge

Employing the Nedderman and Tüzün kinematic model (Powder Tech. 22 (1979) 243) and the boundary conditions for granular media in a two-dimensional flat-bottomed hopper with eccentric discharge, a boundary-value problem was constructed. The heights of the stagnant zone for two kinds of granular materials after hopper discharge were experimentally measured. We postulated that the kinematic constant would be proportional to the height of the stagnant zone. Employing experimental results and the Newton–Raphson method, kinematic constants under eccentric discharge were obtained. The profiles of the horizontal and vertical velocity components were then calculated. The research work reported here provides additional theoretical knowledge about granular flows in the hopper to workers in this field and also enhances the kinematic model application to granular flows.