Development of a discrete element model with moving realistic geometry to simulate particle motion in a Mi-Pro granulator

Abstract

This paper presents the implementation of a methodology incorporating a 3D CAD geometry into a 3D Discrete Element Method (DEM) code; discussing some of the issues which were experienced. The 3D CAD model was discretised into a finite element mesh and the finite wall method was employed for contact detection between the elements and the spherical particles. The geometry was based on a lab scale Mi-Pro granulator. Simulations were performed to represent dry particle motion in this piece of equipment. The model was validated by high speed photography of the particle motion at the surface of the Mi-Pro's clear bowl walls. The results indicated that the particle motion was dominated by the high speed impeller and that a roping regime exists. The results from this work give a greater insight into the particle motion and can be used to understand the complex interactions which occur within this equipment.

Propiedades mecánicas del hormigón corroído por la lluvia ácida con base en el elemento discreto de partículas (Editado por el Dr. Kimon Christianis, University of Patras, Greece)

“…In order to analyze and research the concrete corrosion loading experiment on the meso level, the micromechanics idea is applied to the numerical method of particle discrete element. The concrete micromechanics preprocessing method based on background grid and the inversion technology of meso parameters are used to build the concrete particle discrete element micromechanics model (Watson et al 2016). Moreover, the meso numerical simulation is performed on the concrete corrosion loading experiment.…”

Conceptualisation of an Efficient Particle-Based Simulation of a Twin-Screw Granulator

“…The Discrete Element Method (DEM) has become the dominant particle-scale simulation tool in the last 20 years. DEM has been applied to investigate various wet granulation processes, e.g., Mishra et al [44] and Liu et al [45] investigated granulation in a rotating drum; Goldschmidt et al [46] and Kafui et al [47,48] simulated fluidised bed granulation; Gantt and Gatzke [49], Hassanpour et al [50], Nakamura et al [51], Watson et al [52], Tamrakar et al [53] and Börner et al [54] studied high shear granulation. Researchers have also explored granulation processes by coupling DEM and population balance modelling [55][56][57][58][59].…”