Abstract
This paper outlines the industrial problem of air current segregation in alumina storage silos which occurs with the handling of the feedstock alumina in aluminium plants. One significant parameter, the air extraction rate, was studied in an experimental silo which was manufactured for this purpose. The experiments conducted in small scale devices displayed the interaction between the particle flow and air current segregation. Results from these experiments show that the increase of the silo air extraction rate reduces air current segregation. The dimensional analysis method has been applied to form dimensionless groups out of the significant parameters. Five dimensionless groups were obtained which is unwieldy. To reduce the number of dimensionless groups the physical properties were lumped into the terminal velocity. This simplified approach gives three dimensionless groups. Initial experiments justify further research to establish weather the simplified approach can scale the dynamic of the flow and the degree of segregation from a small scale silo to industrial equipment.