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In good times when there was plenty of grain, the ancient Egyptians stored their grain harvest in huge flat bottomed bins. As they drew the grain out, most of it would remain in the bottom of the bins (a typical funnel flow pattern developed whereby some material moved while the rest remained stationary). Essentially, the first material that entered the bin was the last to exit. 

In times of plenty, as grain was used it was replaced with fresh grain while the older grain remained stagnant.  However, during times of famine, the Egyptians would draw the grain out completely, thereby using the grain that had remained stagnant in the bottom of the bins.  Unbeknownst to them, as grain remains stagnant, it produces tetracycline, which as we now know is a powerful antibiotic.

Had the Egyptians known about mass flow (first-in-first-out), the grain would not have remained stagnant long enough to produce antibiotic.  Egypt's civilization, and those that followed, might have perished if the Egyptians had discovered how to insure a more efficient flow pattern from their bins.

Today, if you need tetracycline to fight an infection, you go to the doctor. And if you have flow issues where your product isn't moving reliably from your bins and feeders, you might want to consult a modern day flow doctor. In most cases, you'll find that the funnel flow pattern that serendipitously benefited the ancient Egyptians is a serious detriment in today's storage applications. Funnel flow leads to ratholing, flooding, segregation and many other flow issues.  Mass flow is typically required to overcome these flow issues. 

Joseph Marinelli
Solids Handling Technologies, Inc.
1631 Caille Ct.
Fort Mill, SC 29708
Ph:  803 802 5527
Email:  info@solidshandlingtech.com
Website:  www.solidshandlingtech.com

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