Many ideas, methods and testers exist to measure the flowability of bulk solids. The primary intent is the characterization of bulk solid‘s flow properties, but most often the measured data are used to design equipment for storage, transportation or general handling of bulk solids. Flowability testing is also needed to compare the flowability of similar or competing bulk solids, to determine whether a product fulfills the requirement of quality control, to model processes with the finite element method or to judge any other process in which the stiength or flowability of bulk solids plays an important role. Many testers are available which measure some value of flowability, only some of these shall be mentioned in this introduction: Jenike’s shear cell, annular shear cells, triaxial tester, true biaxial shear tester, Johanson Indicizers, torsional cell, uniaxial tester, Oedometer, Lambdameter, Jenike and Johanson’s Quality Control Tester, Hosokawa tester and others.
The scope of this report is as follows: First, flow properties shall be defined. Secondly, applications are mentioned. Here the properties which are needed for design are described. In the main chapter the known testers for flow properties measurement are listed and described. Following, the suitability of these testers to actually measure the required properties is discussed. Finally, a comparison with regard to applications will be made. It is beyond the scope of this report to describe all testers very detailed or to compare all of them one by one.