A QUANTITATIVE MODEL TO CHARACTERIZE AND MEASURE GRANULAR FLOW BEHAVIOR AND GRAIN LAYER MIXING

Food quality and safety concerns have led to the national and global implementation of regulation and legis-lation focused on food and feed practices. The food and feed industry also benefit from traceability tools because data collected from such systems are useful as metrics for internal decision making. Bulk commodity grain traceability systems are challenging because most shipments are aggregated mixtures of grain from multiple sources. The amount of mixing that occurs due to the layering of grain and the flow regimes present as grain is removed has not been previously quantified. This lack of certainty on where specific lots are located leads to costly and inefficient recalls. This experiment is the first step in developing an understanding of how much mixing is occurring in grain storage bins to better predict flow regimes for traceability purposes. Accordingly, a small model similar in structure to a flat-floored cylindrical grain bin was designed to test grain flow. The experimental model presented consistent flow behavior data that aligned with expected regimes for flat-floored structures across 30 replications. These outcomes suggest that grain bin mixing and flow remain consistent regardless of flow amount. The data also provide the basis for the development of a probability model.