Mixing performance of cohesive particles in a double barrel with differential velocity based on DEM

Abstract

The double barrel with differential velocity (DBDV) was proposed to improve the mixture quality. However, the mixing mechanism of cohesive particles in the DBDV is unclear. So, the mixing performance of cohesive particles in the DBDV was studied. The cohesive force between particles was simulated using a viscous contact model. The effects of linear velocity, inclination and cohesive force on the mixing performance were studied. The mixing process of particles was analyzed through mixing uniformity, mixing time, velocity, and contact forces. The results show that excessive cohesion cannot promote the dispersion of particles in the mixture, affecting production efficiency. The motion intensity of particles in the differential region is stronger than that in the non-differential region. The differential zone is suitable for particle motion with high cohesion. This study reveals the detailed mixing behavior of cohesive particles in DBDV, which provides operational guidance for the actual road material mixing process.