Abstract
In this work the flow behavior of granular material in flat-bottomed
funnel flow silos was investigated through 3D Discrete Element Method
(DEM) simulations. It is observed that particles in the flowing zone
move collectively, manifested by the oscillatory fluctuations of the
averaged particle vertical velocity and the non-Gaussian characteristics
of the fluctuations of individual velocity around average. The delayed
correlations of velocity fluctuation and the Fourier spectrums of
velocity and contact force between particles were analyzed to
characterize the propagation of flow fluctuation. It is found that there
exist two special vertical positions in the converging zone. The lower
one corresponds to the emission source from which the velocity wave
propagates both upwards and downwards. The higher one locates at the
upper boundary of converging zone and is characterized by the most
violent fluctuation of contact force. Possible mechanisms of the
appearances of these two vertical positions are discussed.