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ARS Home » Plains Area » Brookings, South Dakota » Integrated Cropping Systems Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #216365
Title: A Review of Flowability and Handling Characteristics of Bulk Solids – Implications for DDGS

Author
item GANESAN, V - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV
item Rosentrater, Kurt
item MUTHUKUMARAPPAN, K - SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIV

Submitted to: Biosystems Engineering
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/16/2008
Publication Date: 11/7/2008
Citation: Ganesan, V., Rosentrater, K.A., Muthukumarappan, K. 2008. A review of flowability and handling characteristics of bulk solids – implications for ddgs. Biosystems Engineering. 101:425-435.

Interpretive Summary: Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS), the main coproduct from corn dry grind ethanol processing, is primarily used as livestock feed. Because not all of it is consumed locally, much of the DDGS is shipped out of the corn belt to livestock facilities throughout the US. With the tremendous growth of the fuel ethanol industry in the last several years, significant quantities of distiller’s grains are now being produced. When unloading truck and railcars at their destinations, DDGS flow is problematic, as it often becomes restricted by caking and bridging. This issue probably results from several synergistically-acting factors, including storage moisture, temperature, relative humidity, particle size, time, temperature variations, and vibrations. The objective of this study was to review the primary factors affecting flowability, handling, and storage of granular solids and powders, as well as appropriate test methodologies for these materials. Considering these will be helpful when examining the flowability and storage challenges for DDGS.

Technical Abstract: Much research regarding handling and storage characteristics of bulk solids has been conducted over the years. Physical properties of granular solids play a significant role in their resulting flow and storage behaviour, and are therefore essential to design appropriate, efficient, and economic bulk solids handling and storage equipment and structures. Distillers Dried Grains with Solubles (DDGS) is a bulk material that has been widely used as a protein source for ruminants and non-ruminants for more than two decades. Distillers grains are energy dense as they contain high fat contents. With the exponential growth of the fuel ethanol industry in the last few years, significant quantities of distiller’s grains are now being produced. To effectively utilize these feeds in the domestic market, however, these coproduct streams are increasingly being transported greater distances, and must be stored until final use. DDGS flow is often problematic as it can become restricted by caking and bridging which occurs during transportation and storage. This issue probably results from storage moisture, temperature, relative humidity, particle size, time, or temperature variations. The objective of this study was to review the primary factors affecting flowability, handling, and storage of granular solids and powders, as well as appropriate test methodologies for these materials. Considering these will be helpful when examining granular flowability and storage challenges, including those surrounding the use of DDGS.