DEM prediction of industrial and geophysical particle flows

Simulation of industrial particle flows using DEM (Discrete Element Method) offers the opportunity for better understanding of the flow dynamics by the inclusion of particle scale physics that often determine the nature of these flows. Increased understanding from the models can lead to improvements in equipment design and operation, potentially leading to large increases in equipment and process efficiency, throughput and/or product quality. Industrial applications are typically large and involve complex particulate behaviour in complex geometries. This paper explores the critical influence of particle shape on granular system behaviour and then discusses examples of DEM applied to several large industrial problems.