Powder Fluidization Grenade (PFG) for Particulate Obscurant Dissemination

The thrust of Hy-Tek Mfg. Co. Inc.'s PFG concept involves in-canister fluidization of dry PO powder using compressed gas possibly enhanced by mechanical vibration followed by dissemination of the suspended powder from the canister by means of gas entrainment via a venture tube, nozzle or other canister orifice. Suitable fluidization of PO powder will require replenishing a stable suspension of PO powder in a concentration sufficient to continuously and uniformly disseminate PO powder from a Coke can sized canister over a 30 second period. Using previous studies performed by others and in-house ANSYS computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling, HMC will investigate various fluidization techniques, flow regimes and powder packing methods, including those that involve mixtures of large and small particles and glidants.