Question 22. What Are Some Characteristics Of Bulk Solids That Can Affect Their Ability To Flow Properly?
Answer : Four (4) main factors to consider include moisture content, temperature, particle size (and shape), and time at rest. An increase in moisture content will generally make solids more "sticky". Some solids will absorb moisture from the air, which is why nitrogen is often used as a carrier gas (among other reasons). For some solids, their ability to flow can be adversely impacted by temperature or even the length of time that the particles are exposed to a specific temperature. For example, soybean meal flows nicely at 90 °F but start to form large bridges at 100 °F.
