Applications of Discrete Element Method in Modeling of Grain Postharvest Operations

Boac, Josephine M.; Ambrose, R. P. Kingsly; Casada, Mark E.; Maghirang, Ronaldo G.; Maier, Dirk E.

doi:10.1007/s12393-014-9090-y

Cited by 112 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 76 publications

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“…The discrete element method has been proven to be a very useful tool in obtaining complete qualitative information level with simple assumptions and few parameters at the microscopic scale, Belheine et al (2009) and Bagi (2005) [1] [9]. DEM is used over a wide range of applications which include construction and building materials, Coetzee [1] [16] [17], mining, Grima et al (2010,2011) [18] [19], post-harvest, Boac et al (2014) [20], soil-structure interaction, Coetzee ( , 2010 [21] [22] [23], mixing and milling, Alian et al (2015), Cleary (2015) [24] [25] [26] and amongst others. The discrete element method (DEM) has become the method of choice for researching and engineering to validate and optimise the design related to granular material or to assess the phenomena on grain scale.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiments and 3D DEM of Triaxial Compression Tests under Special Consideration of Particle Stiffness

Ahlinhan¹,

Houehanou²,

Koube³

et al. 2018

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Discrete element modelling is commonly used for particle-scale modelling of granular or particulate materials. Developing a DEM model requires the determination of a number of micro-structural parameters, including the particle contact stiffness and the particle-particle friction. These parameters cannot easily be measured in the laboratory or directly related to measurable, physical material parameters. Therefore, a calibration process is typically used to determine the values for use in simulations of physical systems. This paper focuses on how to define the particle stiffness for the discrete element modelling in order to perform realistic simulations of granular materials in the case of linear contact model. For that, laboratory tests and numerical discrete element modelling of triaxial compression tests have been carried out on two different non-cohesive soils i.e. poorly graded fine sand and gap graded coarse sand. The results of experimental tests are used to calibrate the numerical model. It is found that the numerical results are qualitatively and quantitatively in good agreement with the laboratory tests results. Moreover, the results show that the stress dependent of soil behaviour can be reproduced well by assigning the particle stiffness as a function of the particle size particularly for gap graded soil.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiments and 3D DEM of Triaxial Compression Tests under Special Consideration of Particle Stiffness

Ahlinhan¹,

Houehanou²,

Koube³

et al. 2018

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show abstract

“…DEM applications in agriculture have been discussed in the reviews carried out by Tijskens et al (2003), Boac et al (2014), and . Two different application domains are distinguished in Tijskens et al (2003): hard granular systems such as seed products and soft granular systems such as fruits and vegetables.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The role of the particle shape and the technical difficulties presented when modelling agricultural grains is discussed in Boac et al (2014). The behaviour of almost-spherical particle systems (soybean, rapeseed) can be predicted with high accuracy using single-sphere particle models.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determining the shape of agricultural materials using spherical harmonics

Radvilaitź

Ramírez-Gómez

Kačianauskas

2016

Computers and Electronics in Agriculture

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“…Computational techniques such as the Discrete Element Method (DEM) can potentially be applied as a tool to provide understanding granular machine systems dynamics, virtual equipment design and evaluation of machine performance. DEM is used for applications like mining, post-harvest, soil-tool interaction, mixing and milling and geotechnical applications (Boac et al, 2014;Grima, Fraser, and Hastie, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulation of corn grain flow in commercial screw auger

Mousaviraad¹,

Tekeste²,

Rosentrater³

2016

2016 ASABE International Meeting

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Screw augers are primary grain conveying equipment. Quantitative prediction of screw auger performance requires better understanding and measurement of bulk particle-to-particle and particle-to-geometry interactions. Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) has the potential to simulate particle dynamics and flow within a screw auger, and thus to provide simulation-based guidance for screw auger design and operational parameters. The objective of this study was to calibrate DEM corn modeling using Angle of Repose (AOR) and to simulate DEM corn flow in a commercial screw auger. Experimental data was collected to characterize harvested corn, angle of repose, and grain flow from a screw auger.Corn particle was modeled using four types of DEM spheres represented as 1-sphere and clumped spheres 2-sphere, 5-sphere and 13-sphere matching to a physically measured corn shape with equivalent geometrical diameter, 2D axial dimension, 3D axial dimension, and parameterized CAD dimensions, respectively. For each DEM corn shape approximation, virtual Design Of Experiments (DOE) with four DEM material interaction coefficients as independent parameters and reproducing AOR test initial conditions were developed in EDEM to simulate AOR grain flow behavior. AOR values from quasi-static corn flow on flat plate were measured in lab and compared with the DOE DEM simulation. The DEM corn with 2-sphere and the material interaction coefficients showed good prediction to the experimental corn AOR test with minimum corn height test and DEM prediction difference of Mean Square Error (MSE) (5.31 mm 2 ) compared to 1-sphere, 5-sphere and 13-spheres. With computationally-inexpensive shape and calibrated DEM material properties from AOR, screw auger DEM simulation of corn model was performed to predict mass flow rate. Results from DEM, analytical solutions, and experimental data on mass flow rate were also compared.

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Applications of Discrete Element Method in Modeling of Grain Postharvest Operations

Cited by 112 publications

References 76 publications

Experiments and 3D DEM of Triaxial Compression Tests under Special Consideration of Particle Stiffness

Experiments and 3D DEM of Triaxial Compression Tests under Special Consideration of Particle Stiffness

Determining the shape of agricultural materials using spherical harmonics

Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulation of corn grain flow in commercial screw auger

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