Efficient discrete element modeling of heat generation and transfer in granular flows: Validation and application

Abstract

This work presents an efficient Discrete Element Method (DEM) framework for the simulation of the thermal behavior of granular media. The main focus is on long-lasting granular flows, involving heat transfer and generation due to mechanical energy dissipation. The proposed approach uses efficient strategies to reduce the computational cost of the analyses and, therefore, to enable its application to problems of practical relevance. For instance, the contact area is adjusted to compensate for the artificial material softening that is typically considered in DEM to increase the time step size. After extended validation, the methodology is applied to the simulation of different setups of an experimental rotating drum. The numerical simulations presented good agreement with the experimental results and allowed a detailed analysis of the mechanisms and patterns of heat generation, which could not be extrapolated from the experimental campaign.