ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Entropy criterion of random states for granular material in a mixing process

Stanisław Masiuk, Rafał M. Rakoczy, and Marian Kordas

Institute of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Process Protection, Szczecin University of Technology, al. Piastów 42, 71-065 Szczecin, Poland

E-mail: smasiuk@ps.pl

Received: 31 March 2007  Revised: 10 September 2007  Accepted: 8 October 2007

Abstract: Mathematical assessment of homogenisation progress of the granular material mixing process is presented. The mixing process was realised using a vessel in the form of two partly penetrating horizontal cylinders equipped with two multi-ribbon agitators. The experimental system consisted of three sets of particles of different colour. Random states of the mixed granular material were characterised by the sampling procedure at different moments of the mixing process. Informational entropy as well as the flow of quantum of information were applied to describe the progress of the homogenisation process. Analysis of this process was based on experimental investigations in the form of informational entropy patterns and described by means of the average informational entropy or the quantum of information.

Keywords: granular material - multi-ribbon agitator - informational characteristics

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-008-0019-x

Chemical Papers 62 (3) 247–254 (2008)