Article
Engineering, Chemical
Bei-Bing Dai, Tian-Qi Li, Lin-Jie Deng, Jun Yang, Wei-Hai Yuan
Summary: In this study, the effect of fabric orientation on the angle of repose was examined through physical experiments and numerical simulations. The results showed that the angle of repose first decreased and then rebounded as the deposition plane's orientation angle varied. The minimum values were observed at specific angles. Numerical analyses revealed the intensification of microstructure reorganization and the decrease in anisotropy magnitude. Based on a conceptual model, the fundamentals underlying the effect of fabric orientation on the angle of repose were clarified.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Siyao Yu, Haoran Bu, Wancheng Dong, Zhen Jiang, Lixin Zhang, Yuanqing Xia
Summary: Based on physical and simulation experiments, we calibrated the basic characteristic parameters for granular fungal fertilizers, which have received little attention. These calibrated parameters can provide a basis for simulation analysis and parameter optimization for variable-rate fertilization systems.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Haoran Bu, Siyao Yu, Wancheng Dong, Yuqi Wang, Lixin Zhang, Yuanqing Xia
Summary: The lack of accurate simulation model parameters has limited the development of variable fertilizer application devices. This study aims to calibrate simulation parameters by determining intrinsic parameters of urea particles through physical and simulation tests. The results show that the urea particle calibration parameters are reliable, providing a theoretical reference for the optimization design and simulation study of variable fertilizer application devices.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Filip Elekes, Eric J. R. Parteli
Summary: The theoretical expression derived from particle-based numerical simulations accurately predicts the angle of repose of granular materials, offering insights into particle-scale interactions and providing implications for engineering, environmental, and planetary sciences.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Lumin Chen, Ke Yuan, Fuping Qian, Zhimin Zheng, Jinli Lu, Yunlong Han
Summary: In the building environment, the study of particle deposition characteristics is necessary due to the serious impact of PM2.5 on people's health and quality of life. Understanding the non-spherical particle deposition characteristics is also essential for a thorough investigation of the dust removal mechanism. Different simulation methods were used to numerically simulate the non-spherical particle deposition characteristics, and an optimal simulation method (EDEM) was determined. The results showed consistent deposition rates of non-spherical particles with the same volume on the filter media, making the assumption of simplified triangular-shaped particles more realistic.
BUILDING SIMULATION
(2023)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Pingki Datta, Salah A. Faroughi
Summary: This study develops a model based on superquadric function to describe the angle of repose (AOR) of granular materials composed of non-spherical particles. Through experimental and numerical analyses, the study investigates the influence of different shape parameters on the AOR and heap geometry, and constructs an AOR model. Six blind tests demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of the model, and it is also applied to estimate the internal friction angle and soaked CBR of dry sand samples.
COMPUTERS AND GEOTECHNICS
(2024)
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Dan-Dan Han, You Xu, Yu-Xia Huang, Bin He, Jian-Wu Dai, Xiao-Rong Lv, Li-Hua Zhang
Summary: The parameters of coated maize particles were calibrated and verified using the discrete element method, and the relative angle of repose inaccuracy between simulation and physical values was found to be only 0.22%. This demonstrates the correctness and dependability of the calibrated parameters.
COMPUTATIONAL PARTICLE MECHANICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Siqiang Wang, Shunying Ji
Summary: In this study, a unified method was developed to create level set functions for arbitrarily shaped particles constructed by different non-spherical discrete element models. A particle-structure contact algorithm was proposed to solve the contact problem between arbitrarily shaped particles and complex structures. The results of four sets of tests demonstrated the conservation, accuracy, and robustness of the proposed model, indicating its ability to accurately predict the motion characteristics of different non-spherical particle models and its applicability to mixed granular flows in complex structures.
COMPUTER METHODS IN APPLIED MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Xuan Ruan, Matthew T. Gorman, Shuiqing Li, Rui Ni
Summary: This paper presents a numerical method for simulating the electrostatic interaction of charged non-spherical particles during collision. The method utilizes the boundary element method (BEM) to resolve the surface charge distribution and employs the generalized minimum residual (GMRES) method with the fast multipole method (FMM) for accelerated computation. The framework is validated through different cases and successfully captures the induced higher-order multipole interaction and contact forces.
JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Geological
Yukio Nakata, Shuji Moriguchi, Shintaro Kajiyama, Ryunosuke Kido, Naotaka Kikkawa, Hidetaka Saomoto, Daiki Takano, Yosuke Higo
Summary: This report provides a benchmark for Discrete Element Method (DEM) analysis by presenting a set of experimental data. The experimental data includes the measurement of particle characteristics and angles of repose of artificial particles prepared by a 3D printer. The report also includes the visualization of the samples using X-ray CT analysis. The report is based on the activities of the TC105 domestic committee of the Japanese Geotechnical Society.
SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Shenghe Bai, Yanwei Yuan, Kang Niu, Liming Zhou, Bo Zhao, Liguo Wei, Lijing Liu, Shi Xiong, Zenglu Shi, Yihua Ma, Yuankun Zheng, Gaoyong Xing
Summary: This study calibrated the simulation parameters of cotton seeds to improve the accuracy of discrete element simulation tests. By combining physical and simulation tests, the contact parameters were measured and a mathematical model was developed to determine the optimal parameter combination. The research results were validated through repeated simulation experiments. The findings are of great significance for discrete element simulation experiments in cotton precision seed metering.
Article
Engineering, Geological
Yuxuan Wen, Yida Zhang
Summary: This study uses the discrete element method to conduct a series of tests and finds a tight correlation between the void ratio and the fabric tensor of granular soils. By plotting the void ratio data against the first two invariants of the fabric tensor, a unique surface is obtained. The robustness of this relation is confirmed through testing samples with different initial void ratios under complex loading paths.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ahmed Hamed, Yidong Xia, Nepu Saha, Jordan Klinger, David N. Lanning, Jim Dooley
Summary: Biomass has the potential to replace petroleum as a carbon-neutral alternative for chemical and energy products. This study combines modeling and experimentation to understand the relationship between particle characteristics and biomass flow behavior. The results provide insights into the selection of critical processing parameters and have implications for improving biomass comminution processes and conducting techno-economic analysis.
FRONTIERS IN ENERGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jinpeng Qiao, Kejun Dong, Chenlong Duan
Summary: The study utilized the discrete element method to investigate the segregation process of a single large intruder in a vibrated bed of small particles, focusing on the effects of vibration conditions and intruder shape on the intruder's dimensionless ascending velocity. It was found that the ascending velocity changes with the variation of vibration amplitude and frequency, and is influenced by the shape of the intruder.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yanjie Li, Qi Zhang, Xia Hua, Yu Guo, Jennifer S. Curtis
Summary: This study simulates the triaxial compressions of spherical granular beds reinforced by immersed flexible fibers using the discrete element method (DEM). The results show that the yield stresses of the particle beds increase with higher fiber concentration or aspect ratio, but are not affected by fiber flexibility. The configuration of the immersed fibers significantly impacts the compressive strength of the beds.
Article
Engineering, Civil
Nan Zhang, Shiwei Zhao, T. Matthew s Evan, Yu Du, Yushun Lian
Summary: This article investigates the shear behavior of granular-continuum interfaces by using three-dimensional discrete element modeling. The influence zones vary with normal stresses and soil densities. The micromechanical behaviors and fabric evolution for the interface are studied, and stress and fabric tensors are used to capture the shear strength. Results show that both macro and micro mechanical parameters decrease with increasing confining stress.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND CIVIL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Shiwei Zhao, Jidong Zhao
Summary: SudoDEM is a novel open-source discrete element code for efficient modeling of non-spherical particles in 2D and 3D, featuring a rich library of particle shapes and efficient contact detection algorithms. The code has been validated and demonstrated its robustness, efficiency and versatility in providing realistic solutions to granular mechanics problems.
COMPUTER PHYSICS COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Shiwei Zhao, Jidong Zhao, Weijian Liang
Summary: The article introduces a novel parallel computing framework for large-scale and multiscale simulations of granular media, utilizing RVE parallelism and GPU-specific techniques. Benchmark tests show that GoDEM can achieve a speedup of approximately 350 compared to a single-CPU-core code.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Changhui Zhang, Shiwei Zhao, Jidong Zhao, Xiaowen Zhou
Summary: This paper proposes a 3D Voronoi analysis framework for realistic grain packing based on XCT and DEM, along with an efficient parallel processing tool PySVT. It reveals significant differences in particle characteristics between 2D and 3D, with emphasis on Voronoi cell morphology and local porosity analysis for void phase.
Article
Engineering, Geological
Hao Chen, Shiwei Zhao, Jidong Zhao, Xiaowen Zhou
Summary: The study focuses on the influence of particle shape on the at-rest coefficient of lateral pressure, K0, establishing a relationship between K0 and particle structure through micromechanics-based theories and numerical simulations. Results show that K0 is related to particle shape, with contact force distribution playing the most prominent role in determining K0.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zhengshou Lai, Shiwei Zhao, Jidong Zhao, Linchong Huang
Summary: This study revisits the contact resolution of non-spherical particles in DEM through GJK and shape erosion method, highlighting the significant impact of shape erosion on weak contacts within the packing and potential overestimation of contact overlap. However, the negligible effect of shape erosion on the overall coordination number, packing fabric, and stress-strain behaviors is observed. It is recommended to carefully set the erosion ratio to be compatible with the overlaps of strong contacts in practical applications.
Article
Engineering, Geological
Jiayan Nie, Shiwei Zhao, Yifei Cui, Yu Wang
Summary: This study systematically investigates the coupled effects of particle overall regularity (OR) and sliding friction on the shear behavior of dense sands. The findings reveal that different aspects of particle shape can have mutual effects on the overall behavior of sands. Moreover, the study analyzes the microscopic origins of multi-scale shape-dependent shear strength, which is crucial for improving the understanding of the influence of particle shape on the shear behavior of sands.
JOURNAL OF ROCK MECHANICS AND GEOTECHNICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Weijian Liang, Huanran Wu, Shiwei Zhao, Wei Zhou, Jidong Zhao
Summary: This study introduces a scalable three-dimensional multiscale framework for continuum-discrete modeling of granular materials, combining a continuum-based material point method (MPM) and a discrete element method (DEM). A parallel scheme based on MPI model is developed to address computational cost, achieving significant speedup in large-scale simulations. The framework is validated and applied to simulate the intrusion of a solid object, showcasing its numerical performance and predictive capability.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications
Zhengshou Lai, Shiwei Zhao, Jidong Zhao, Linchong Huang
Summary: This paper presents a signed distance field approach for DEM modeling of granular media with arbitrarily shaped particles. The approach uses a generic SDF-based interface to rigorously model particle shapes and their contact operations. It defines the signed distance inside and outside particles and represents the particle surface using the zeroth isosurface of the SDF. The paper also develops specialized grain shape models and a numerical scheme for particle surface discretization and reconstruction. Demonstrative examples validate the proposed approach and computational aspects are discussed.
COMPUTATIONAL MECHANICS
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Shiwei Zhao, Jidong Zhao, Weijian Liang, Fujun Niu
Summary: The text discusses the intricate coupling between heat generation and transfer with mechanical responses in granular materials, introducing a novel hierarchical multiscale modeling framework TM-DEMPM. This framework utilizes Material Point Method coupled with Discrete Element Method to provide physics-based simulations of thermo-mechanical granular responses, with a proposed hybrid OpenMP and GPU-based parallelization for faster numerical solutions.
COMPUTERS AND GEOTECHNICS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Shiwei Zhao, Zhengshou Lai, Jidong Zhao
Summary: This article presents a novel approach to accelerate particle-based simulations by leveraging ray tracing cores in addition to CUDA cores on RTX GPUs. A new, general-purpose RT-based neighbor search algorithm is proposed and benchmarked with a prevailing cell-based one. The study demonstrates that the RT-based simulations are 10%-60% faster than the cell-based ones.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL METHODS IN ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Hao Chen, Shiwei Zhao, Jidong Zhao, Xiaowen Zhou
Summary: This study proposes a generalized contact scheme based on a hybrid scheme of material point method (MPM) and discrete element method (DEM) to model multi-body and multi-material interactions. The scheme contains two novel features of particle-particle and particle-structure contact schemes guided by a DEM contact model. It demonstrates that the generalized contact scheme can flexibly capture the mechanical responses of multi-body and multi-material systems in MPM.
COMPUTER METHODS IN APPLIED MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Shiwei Zhao, Jidong Zhao
Summary: This paper presents a novel approach, called Ray Tracing Discrete Element Method (RTDEM), for efficiently simulating particles with arbitrary shapes. The method uses a triangular mesh and template meshes, along with ray tracing-based algorithms and discrete potential field functions, to accurately and efficiently detect and resolve contacts between the particles.
COMPUTER METHODS IN APPLIED MECHANICS AND ENGINEERING
(2023)
Review
Physics, Applied
Jidong Zhao, Shiwei Zhao, Stefan Luding
Summary: This Technical Review provides an overview of computational modeling of granular matter, focusing on the role of particle shape and future challenges.
NATURE REVIEWS PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Bingyao Wang, Tianyi Cai, Xiaoshu Cai, Wu Zhou, Zeqi Liu
Summary: The size and morphology of nanoparticles significantly impact their performance. Current methods, such as electron microscopy or atomic force microscopy, have limitations in sample preparation, processing time, and quantitative characterization. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a fast, accurate, and statistical method for measuring nanoparticle size and morphology. In this study, a new method called polarized imaging dynamic light scattering (PIDLS) is proposed, which irradiates nanoparticles with a vertical linearly polarized laser beam and utilizes a polarization camera to collect dynamic light scattering images at different polarization directions. The method effectively determines particle size, morphology, and sphericity based on depolarization patterns and degree of linear polarization. PIDLS also enables simultaneous measurement of particle size and morphology distributions, allowing for the evaluation of particle uniformity. The effectiveness of PIDLS is validated with the measurement of five types of industrial titanium dioxide.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Qingye Meng, Shuangling Zhong, Jingfei Wang, Zhenqian Zhang, Yan Gao, Xuejun Cui
Summary: In this study, a non-toxic natural polysaccharide, sodium alginate (SA), was developed for targeted delivery of curcumin (CUR) in tumor therapy. The CUR was coated in microcapsules using a quick, efficient, and environment-friendly sonochemical method. The microcapsules showed similar toxicity to free curcumin in anti-tumour evaluation and exhibited effective antibacterial properties. This research has the potential to provide a low-cost tumor targeting vector and can be promoted for clinical application.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Christin Velten, Mirko Ebert, Christian Lessig, Katharina Zaehringer
Summary: Ray tracing Particle Image Velocimetry (RT-PIV) is an optical technique that corrects for distortions in velocity measurements caused by transparent geometries in challenging optical systems. This study focuses on the challenges and implications of using RT-PIV in a body centred cubic (bcc) sphere packing with gaseous flow, where transparent glass balls are used for optical access. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method in reconstructing velocity fields behind transparent spheres.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yanhao Ye, Ji Xu, Wei Ge
Summary: By modeling neighboring particles as a single coarse-grained particle, the discrete particle method (DPM) can now simulate industrial-scale particle-fluid systems. However, there is still a lack of a systematic approach to determine the properties and interaction models of these coarse-grained particles, which affects the predictability of the method. In this study, kernel functions for modeling the coarse-grained particles are constructed based on the analysis of collisions between predefined particle groups, and the model parameters are determined by equating the statistical properties of the coarse-grained particles to those of the real particles. This approach has been effective in simulating the homogeneous cooling of granular gas and experimental fluidized beds.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Boris I. Kharisov, Oxana V. Kharissova, Lucy T. Gonzalez, Yolanda Pena Mendez, Igor E. Uflyand, Idalia Gomez de la Fuente
Summary: Hydroxyapatite (HA) composites with carbon allotropes and nanocarbons are rapidly developing in materials chemistry, especially for medical applications. These composites can be synthesized using various methods and exhibit biocompatibility and hemocompatibility, making them suitable for bone regeneration and wastewater treatment.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Xing Li, Qun Chen, Zhaozhao Liu, Cheng Zhou, Chen Wang, Chen Chen
Summary: The particle size distribution (PSD) curve is an important expression of soil properties. However, existing characteristic parameters can only represent some points of the curve and fail to capture all the information. This paper introduces a new fraction characteristic parameter based on grading entropy and proposes a refined presentation method for the PSD curve. The new method not only represents the differences in curve width more accurately but also has higher discrimination ability. The application of this method in describing deposit distribution and predicting soil hydraulic conductivity is discussed. The research results can provide reference for the refined representation of PSD curves.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Qingjin Zhang, Liangliang Fu, Guangwen Xu, Dingrong Bai
Summary: This study comprehensively analyzes the temperature effect on the minimum fluidization velocity (Umf) in fluidized-bed reactors. The analysis reveals the influence of temperature on Umf is determined by the relative importance of hydrodynamic forces and interparticle forces, which result in changes in gas properties, bed voidage, and physiochemical characteristics of particles. An equation is derived to predict the temperature influences on Umf under broad temperature conditions.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Josephine Oppotsch, Matthias Steinke, Miriam Fritsch, Fritz -Herbert Heinsius, Thomas Held, Nikoline Hilse, Viktor Scherer, Ulrich Wiedner
Summary: This work is the second part of a simulation study on processing densely packed and moving granular assemblies using PEPT. A cost-effective PET-like detector system is being developed to overcome the high cost of PET scanners commonly used for PEPT. Monte Carlo simulations and Geant4 software were used to study the spatial resolution of different scenarios, and it was found that oversampling and iteration improved the resolution significantly.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Lian Duan, Zhixun Xia, Yunchao Feng, Binbin Chen, Likun Ma, Jianxin Hu
Summary: In this study, boron-magnesium agglomerates with varying mass ratios were prepared and the combustion process of these agglomerates under different oxygen-rich concentrations were investigated. The results showed that when the mass fraction of magnesium powder in boron-magnesium agglomerates exceeded a certain threshold, a transient flameout process occurred. This process is affected by the magnesium content of the agglomerate and the oxygen concentration in the ambient atmosphere.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Lixia Hou, Chunxiao Qu, Min Su, Zhihan Liang, Qi Hao
Summary: This study investigates the impact of polymer modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles on lysozyme (Lys) crystallization under different conditions, using functionalized Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (Polymer C@Fe3O4) as nucleation agents. The findings show that the surface charge density of Polymer C@Fe3O4 is highest at a modification mass ratio of 8:3 for Fe3O4 to Polymer C. By adding 15% of the PolymerC@Fe3O4 prepared from Fe3O4 with an average particle size of 150 nm, magnetic core lysozyme (M-Lys) crystals with an average particle size of 11.08 mm, narrow size distribution, and regular morphology were obtained with a yield of 82.42% within 60 min.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Fangling Hu, Liangliang Fu, Qingjin Zhang, Guangwen Xu, Dingrong Bai
Summary: This study proposes a method for synthesizing high-quality forsterite using abundant boron mud waste through high-temperature thermochemical reactions. The reaction can be completed rapidly at low temperatures due to the high reactivity of fine raw powder materials. The synthesized forsterite products exhibit high densification, well-developed grains, and an activation energy of 165.5 kJ/mol in the temperature range of 1100-1500°C. This study provides a low-cost method for producing forsterite and an efficient solution for treating solid waste.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Yi Liu, Yunyan Guo, Rui Zhu, Jinqiang Zhou, Zhengxu Lin, Kai Han, Chongwei An, Jingyu Wang, Bidong Wu
Summary: Improved controllability and energy density of ignition agents are important for the development of energetic composite materials. In this study, HNS/CL-20 composite microspheres were prepared using droplet microfluidics and emulsification techniques with GAP as the binder. The microspheres exhibited higher sphericity and particle size uniformity compared to raw HNS, and retained the crystal structure of both HNS and CL-20. The microspheres also showed higher apparent activation energy, better safety performance, and good dispersibility, demonstrating excellent ignition performance and significant energy release effects.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Max Kriegeskorte, Nikoline Hilse, Phil Spatz, Viktor Scherer
Summary: This study experimentally analyzed the particle mechanics of a single floor in a multiple hearth furnace. The results showed that increasing the blade angle led to an increase in the particle free surface area. The frequency distribution of the mean distance among particles provided information about the morphology of the particle bulk.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Min Cai, Shuangzhu Kong, Sheng Chen, Mengxi Liu, Chunxi Lu
Summary: Reasonable reactor design is crucial for increasing the C2 yield in the oxidative coupling of methane (OCM). This study focused on large-scale fluidized bed reactors and conducted experiments and simulations to investigate their hydrodynamics and reaction performance. The results showed that the consecutive reactions of ethylene were severe in the bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) reactor due to gas back-mixing, high solids holdup, and non-uniform solids distribution, while they were negligible in the riser reactor. Both reactors achieved isothermal operation for the OCM process, with the riser reactor showing higher C2 selectivity and yield compared to the BFB reactor. This study provides valuable information for OCM reactor design and commercialization.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jiangkui Hu, Shijie Yang, Yingying Pei, Xilong Wang, Yulong Liao, Shuai Li, Aolong Yue, Jia-Qi Huang, Hong Yuan
Summary: This review discusses the interfacial issues in all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) based on sulfide solid electrolytes (SEs) and high-voltage cathodes, and proposes strategies to stabilize the electrolyte/cathode interfaces. The future research direction of electrolyte/cathode interfaces and the application prospects of powder technology in sulfide-based ASSLBs are also discussed.