(22f) Cohesive Flow and Agglomeration of Granular Material in a Rotating Drum

The flow regimes of free flowing granular material in a rotating drum have been well characterized in the literature (see, for example, Mellmann (2001)). Numerical studies of cohesive granular flows in a rotating drum have been more focused towards mixing; systematic investigations of changes in flow behaviour are seldom reported. This work reports regime shifts seen with simultaneously varying inter-particulate cohesion and drum rotation speed (Froude number) from discrete element method (DEM) simulations. A new methodology for in situ identification of agglomerates is proposed; the key idea being that in order to qualify as an agglomerate, inter-particulate bonds must survive the dispersive forces acting to break them apart. Agglomerate size distributions have been determined using this new algorithm. Mixing trends are also quantified for qualitative comparison with the existing literature.

References

Mellmann, J., 2001. The transverse motion of solids in rotating cylinders ? forms of motion and transition behavior. Powder Technology, 118, 251-270.