Application of a cellular automaton to simulations of granular flow in silos

A cellular automaton based on a gas model of hydrodynamics was used to calculate the kinematics of non-cohesive granular materials during confined flow in a mass flow and funnel flow model silo. In the model, collisions of particles were taken into account during granular flow. In addition, a simplified automaton was used wherein granular flow was assumed as an upward propagation of holes through a lattice composed of cells representing single particles. The advantages and disadvantages of both cellular automata were outlined.