Axial segregation characteristics and size-induced flow behavior of particles in a novel rotary drum with curved sidewalls

Particle mixing and segregation are common phenomena in rotary drums,which are challenging to be controlled and driven artificially in powder technology.In this work,the discrete element method(DEM)was applied to construct the novel rotary drum composed of different shaped curved sidewalls.By varying the operation parameters of particle and sidewall shapes as well as the length-to-diameter(L/D)ratio of drums,the axial mixing and segregation processes of binary size-induced particles were investigated.The results show that the axial flow velocity of the particle mixtures is noticeably weakened once the particle angularity increases,making the non-spherical particles to mix better in rotary drums compared to the spherical particles.Besides,in the short drums with size-induced spherical particles,the axial segregation characteristics are significantly enhanced by the convex sidewalls while suppressed by the concave sidewalls.However,for size-induced non-spherical particles,the axial segregation structure can be present in rotary drums with plane and concave sidewalls while not in drums with convex sidewalls.Moreover,the axial segregation band structure of spherical particles eventually increases proportionally with the increased drum L/D ratios.In contrast,the non-spherical particles cannot form obvious multi-proportional segregation bands.

Morphology of impact fragmentation distribution of single spherical and ellipsoidal particles in drop weight experiments

Particle shape is an important factor affecting the fragmentation distribution of the ore particles.To investigate the influence of particle shape on the morphological fragmentation distribution characteristics,the crushable ore particles are defined as prolate,oblate ellipsoid and spherical particles,which have different aspect ratios(AR)and sphericity(S).Based on the drop weight experiment,the influence of the net drop height on the macroscopic mechanical behavior and crushing distribution characteristics of the single spherical and ellipsoidal particles is studied.The results show that different peak-shifting characteristics exist during particle fragmentation.The fragmentation distribution peak shifts left when the increased impact energy is eventually only enough to break medium-sized sub-particles.Conversely,it shifts right when impact energy is increased enough to break largest-sized sub-particles.Besides,regardless of whether the net drop height changes,the maximum continuous fragmentation degree presents"M"-shaped characteristic with the increased AR.Compared with the ellipsoid particles,the single spherical particle is more difficult to be broken by impact,with wider equivalent particle fragmentation distribution.With the increase of particle sphericity,the maximum continuous fragmentation degree of a single ellipsoid particle has an overall trend of initial increase and subsequent decrease.Especially when particle sphericity is 0.9<S<0.95,the maximum continuous fragmentation degree of both prolate and oblate ellipsoid particles is much higher.