Plant InSites: Come Up With a Solid Estimate

Use geometry to figure out the amount of material in storage or equipment.

By Andrew Sloley, Contributing Editor

Dec 14, 2009

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This relatively simple example illustrates how you can estimate bulk solid volumes.

Andrew Sloley is a Chemical Processing contributing editor. You can e-mail him at ASloley@putman.net.

Table 1. This list presents reasonable values for the materials but actual value can vary markedly depending upon application.

Material	Θ, degrees
Activated carbon	20-29
Alfalfa, meal	45
Alfalfa, pellets	9
Alumina	22
Anthracite ash	45
Barley	30
Bauxite	31
Carbon black	25
Caustic soda	29-43
Cement	37-40
Cinders, bituminous coal	25-41
Clay, soft	10
Clay, compacted	10-25
Coal, anthracite	27
Coal, bituminous	35
Coke, lose pile	30-45
Corn	23
Diatomaceous earth, calcined	30-44
Flaxseed	21
Gravel, round	30
Gravel, sharp	40
Gypsum	30
Iron Ore	35-45
Limestone, pulverized	30-44
Lime, hydrated	40
Linseed	25
Millet	23-25
Phosphate rock, crushed	25-29
Phosphate rock, ground	40
Plastic resin grains, cellulose acetate	16
Plastic resin grains, fluorocarbon	6
Plastic resin grains, nylon	9
Plastic resin grains, polyethylene pellets	23
Plastic resin grains, vinyl	10
Plastic resin grains, viscose	10
Oats, rolled	30-44
Quartz, ½-in. screenings	20-29
Quartz, 1.5-3 in.	30-44
Rapeseed	18-22
Rice	30-44
Safflower	24
Salt	36
Sand, dry	25-35
Sand, moist	30-45
Sand, wet	20-40
Scrap metal	35-45
Silt, compacted	25-40
Silt, loose	20-30
Sand-clay, compacted	40-50
Soda ash, dense	32-42
Soda ash, light	59
Sulfur, granules	35
Sunflower seed	23
Wheat, whole	28
Wheat, cracked	30-44
Wood chips	45

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