Brookfield's website now hosts an informative video on powder flow behaviour in gravity discharge from hoppers.
The challenge for powder processing companies is to predict flow behaviour before problems occur.
Brookfield's new Powder Flow Tester, which uses shear-cell technology to perform scientific tests on flow-ability, is claimed to solve this challenge.
The new video answers basic questions on how to measure powders and why the PFT offers a good solution.
The video depicts basic flow behaviour patterns known as mass flow and core flow.
Typical problems that impede powder flow, such as arching and rat-hole formation, are reviewed.
Reasons for the use of shear-cell testing to characterise flow are compared to simpler methods such as flow cups and angle of repose.
Brookfield's PFT is claimed to offer ease of use, quickness of test and data output that gives a clear indication on whether the powder will flow.
Potential customers include formulators in research and development, incoming inspection for raw ingredients, QC for sign-off on a finished product and process engineers responsible for solving flow problems.
Universities with food and chemical engineering departments and equipment manufacturers are also likely candidates.
