Development of a method for estimating particles mixing curves in short DEM simulation time

Abstract

A new method for estimating particles mixing curves by simulating the particles behavior for a short period of time using discrete element method (DEM) was developed. The mixing curve is the time variation of the mixing degree, and can be divided into the following two stages: one is the mixing degree increasing stage, and the other is the mixing degree stagnation stage. The mixing curves could be estimated from time variations of mixing and de-mixing rates by assuming that the stagnation occurs when the mixing and de-mixing are balanced. Assuming the mixing and de-mixing rates are represented by the first-order exponential functions, each rate was estimated by the simulations of particles behavior for a short period of time. The estimated mixing curves agree with experimental ones and the proposed estimation method reduced the calculation time to approximately one-fifth of the conventional one that does not use a method to reduce the mixing time. Therefore, the proposed estimation method could estimate the mixing curve in a short period of time.