Flow dynamics of binary mixtures of non-spherical particles in the rolling-regime rotating drum

Abstract

The flow characteristics of binary mixtures of cylindrical particles in the rotating drum are numerically studied by extending the DEM model developed for spherical particles to non-spherical ones. The flow patterns of the binary mixtures of cylindrical particles are similar to that of spherical ones. Enlarging the length ratio obviously increases the dynamic angle of repose throughout the drum length, which gives rise to greater total kinetic energy and corresponding fluctuation magnitude. The length difference of the constituents leads to radial segregation, with small and large cylindrical particles in the radial core and periphery, respectively. Moreover, radial segregation decreases and increases the mass of large and small particles, respectively, in the active region. Also, enlarging the length ratio clearly increases the streamwise velocity in the active region. Different from the translational velocity, the rotating velocity along the axial direction is of the same scale as the transversal ones.