Featured Project

Hopper charging with spherical particles including rolling resistance mechanism

Project Description

  • Evaluate the feasibility of using the distinct‐ element modeling to study the flow and segregation of frictional particles without cohesion.
  • Simulate an experimental test corresponding to the charge/discharge of a scale model batch hopper.
  • Analyze the segregation observed in the hopper after its charge.

Itasca's Role

  • Charge of a hopper with a geometry and parameters specified by ArcelorMittal.
  • Import from a CAD design the real geometry of the hopper.
  • Develop a new rolling resistance contact law to apply on spherical particles instead of using the real grain shapes.

Project Results

  • Rolling resistance model allows the repose angle of the real material to be simulated.
  • Observation of segregation mechanisms during the charge of the hopper:
    • smaller particles tend to concentrate in the inner cylinder, while bigger particles concentrate nearby the hopper walls.
    • the bottom part of the hopper is filled by a homogeneous material.
  • Simulations give insight on segregation mechanisms that explain the results observed later on (during the discharge).

Project Image(s)

Ball velocity contour during the charge
Visualization of the segregation in the final steady state (427,878 grains)
Analyse of the grain size distribution in the three coloured zones
Oficina

France
Itasca Consultants S.A.S.

Industrias

Nombre del Cliente

ArcelorMittal

Ubicación

France

Software

PFC