The flow of 82 μm-diameter powder and the effect of hopper structure(hopper diameter

angle) on transition surface height and flow pattern in a 3D conical hopper were studied using the computational particle fluid dynamic (CPFD) numerical scheme. The validity of the calculated results was confirmed by comparing them with experimental results. CPFD simulation was fully capable of reproducing the discharging process. CPFD numerical 3D calculations showed that solids flow rate increased with increasing hopper diameter to the 2.5th power. As hopper angle increased

flow pattern in hopper transformed from mass-flow to funnel-flow. CPFD could give the change of transition surface height with hopper structure.