Patent ID: 6816793
Filing Date: 2004-11-09
Classification: G01F,G01N,G06Q

Abstract:
A method for predicting flow properties of one or more materials proposed for processing in a system which requires good flow properties to operate successfully, the method comprising the steps of:(a) identifying a plurality of key flow points along a system; (b) for each key flow point, characterizing a type of flow occurring at that key flow point; (c) for each key flow point, selecting a flow test relevant for modeling the type of flow occurring at that key flow point; (d) providing a plurality of material samples wherein each material sample has a different composition, blend and/or concentration of ingredients; (e) for each key flow point, modeling the type of flow occurring at that key flow point by conducting the flow test selected for that key flow point on each material sample to produce a plurality of test result values, wherein each test result value is a function of one of the flow tests conducted and of the material sample tested by that flow test; and (f) ranking each material sample based on a calculated average of the test result values to determine which of the material samples tested has optimal overall flow properties for the system as compared against the other material samples.