Circulation intensity and axial dispersion of non-cohesive solid particles in a V-blender via DEM simulation--颗粒学报PARTICUOLOGY

Tahvildarian, P., Ein-Mozaffari, F., & Upreti, S. R. (2013). Circulation intensity and axial dispersion of non-cohesive solid particles in a V-blender via DEM simulation. Particuology, 11(6), 619–626. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.partic.2012.12.010

Circulation intensity and axial dispersion of non-cohesive solid particles in a V-blender via DEM simulation

Parisa Tahvildarian, Farhad Ein-Mozaffari^*, Simant R. Upreti

Department of Chemical Engineering, Ryerson University, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada

10.1016/j.partic.2012.12.010

Volume 11, Issue 6, December 2013, Pages 619-626

Received 7 February 2012, Revised 26 November 2012, Accepted 10 December 2012, Available online 2 June 2013.

E-mail: fmozaffa@ryerson.ca

Highlights

• DEM was utilized to simulate the movement of particles in a V-blender.

• DEM model was successfully validated using PEPT data reported in the literature.

• The circulation intensity and axial dispersion coefficient were computed using DEM.

• The circulation intensity approached a minimum at the fill level of ≥34%.

• The axial dispersion coefficient was a linear function of the rotational speed.

Abstract

In this study, discrete element method (DEM) was employed to simulate the movement of non-cohesive mono-dispersed particles in a V-blender along with particle–particle and particle–boundary interactions. To validate the model, DEM results were successfully compared to positron emission particle tracking (PEPT) data reported in literature. The validated model was then utilized to explore the effects of rotational speed and fill level on circulation intensity and axial dispersion coefficient of non-cohesive particles in the V-blender. The results showed that the circulation intensity increased with an increase in the rotational speed from 15 to 60 rpm. As the fill level increased from 20% to 46%, the circulation intensity decreased, reached its minimum value at a fill level of 34% for all rotational speeds, and did not change significantly at fill levels greater than 34%. The DEM results also revealed that the axial dispersion coefficient of particles in the V-blender was a linear function of the rotational speed. These trends were in good agreement with the experimentally determined values reported by previous researchers.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Powder mixing; Discrete element method; Circulation intensity; Dispersion coefficient; V-blender

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