Numerical analysis of charge characteristics of electrostatic chute for edible powder

Abstract

AbstractThe influence of physical parameters on the charge characteristics of food powder in the process of electrostatic chute transportation was studied to provide technical support for the electrostatic elimination of food powder in the process of conveying and packaging. Taking edible powder as the research object, firstly, the particle model was established, and the three‐dimensional model of electrostatic chute was imported into EDEM software to calibrate the parameters of particles with different particle size distribution, different water content and different chute materials. Then the chute transport simulation was carried out on the calibrated edible powder to analyze the variation law of the average charge‐mass ratio of the powder. The electrostatic chute test platform was built to complete the relevant tests. The simulation study found that the average charge‐mass ratio between wheat flour with water content of 10%, 12%, 14%, 16%, and 18% and 304 stainless steel chute is 7.024, 7.01, 6.838, 6.55, and 5.932 nC/g, respectively. The average charge‐mass ratio in contact with PVC chute is 5.622, 4.808, 4.766, 4.412, and 4.768 nC/g; The average charge‐mass ratio between wheat starch with the same moisture content and 304 stainless steel chute is 2.984, 2.468, 2.254, 2.248, and 2.078 nC/g, and the average charge‐mass ratio between wheat starch and PVC chute is 2.522, 2.152, 1.962, 1.371, and 2.026 nC/g. When the water content is the same (10%–18%), the static friction Angle of powder and chute is negatively related to the charge of wheat flour and wheat starch in the static chute. The higher the water content of wheat flour and wheat starch (10%–16%), the worse the chargability. The charge characteristics of wheat flour with large grain size distribution range are higher than those of wheat starch with small grain size distribution range. The results of electrostatic chute test and simulation are consistent, which verifies the correctness of the simulation results. The research results provide certain reference for the electrostatic elimination in the process of food powder conveying and packaging.Practical ApplicationIn this paper, EDEM is used to establish the particle parameter model of food powder, and the parameters of wheat starch and wheat flour particles are calibrated through the combination of experiment and simulation, and electrostatic chain‐simulation experiments are carried out. By obtaining the average charge‐mass ratio change of powder's charge characteristics under different influencing factors, the corresponding electrostatic influence rule of powder is found. The influence of physical property parameters on the charge characteristics of food powder in the process of electrostatic chute transportation was studied to provide technical support for electrostatic elimination in the process of food powder transportation and packaging.