DEM analysis of the impact of blade configuration on powder flow characteristics in a continuous blender

Abstract

This study numerically explores the blending performance of a full-scale commercial continuous blender with various blade configurations using GPU-enhanced discrete element method (DEM). Key blending performance metrics, including hold-up mass, occupancy, velocity magnitude distribution, backward motions, dispersion coefficients and granular temperature, were analysed at both macroscopic and microscopic scales. Numerical simulations reveal significant differences in occupancy and velocity magnitude distributions between blenders configured with all transport elements and those with mix-transport elements. In addition, apparent axial recirculation, i.e. axial backwards motions, are observed in all blade configurations, with mix-transport elements enhancing this effect during continuous blending. The axial dispersion coefficient decreases linearly with the number of mix-transport elements and hold-up mass, while the radial dispersion coefficient increases with the number of mix-transport elements. Furthermore, distinctive zones with high granular temperature form at locations fitted with mix-transport elements.