Influência da excêntricidade e múltiplas saídas na geometria do canal de fluxo em silos baixos

Abstract

The search of greater efficiency in the storage and safety of bulk products has motivated studies on the phenomenon of eccentric discharge in silos. In Brazil, squat silos are widely employed because they have a lower implementation cost compared to slender and tall silos. However, their geometric characteristics and the configuration of the flow channel influence discharge, potentially causing material stagnation on the walls and an increase in lateral pressures, with a risk of structural collapse. The objective of this research was to analyze the geometric behavior of the material during discharge in a squat silo model, considering three outlet configurations, and to relate the results to SDG 9 (resilient infrastructure and sustainable industrialization) based on a prototype that collapsed. The study confirms that the outlet configuration determines whether the silo will follow an expected discharge pattern or will develop eccentric pressures that compromise structural safety. Thus, based on the results of the 1:50 model, Condition 2 (unilateral outlets) proved to be the most critical, followed by Condition 3 (bottom outlets), while Condition 1 (all outlets) was the most favorable because it exhibited more symmetric discharge. It was identified that quadrants “E and G” of the silo circumference were the recurring locations of greatest stress. As a practical contribution, this study proposes that designers apply Coulomb’s theory combined with the observed patterns of stagnant material to estimate active thrusts Ea and horizontal pressures ph on inclined wedges varying around the silo perimeter. Analysis of the flow channel and the configuration of stagnant material on the walls allows a more realistic representation of the asymmetric distribution of thrusts, providing safer design parameters for structural sizing.