A discrete element method-based approach to predict the breakage of coal

•Integrated experimental and computational frame work for coal breakage is presented.•Characterization of model parameters using coal's physical properties.•Presented framework extensible to large-scale predictive model for the pulverizer.

Pulverization is an essential pre-combustion technique employed for solid fuels, such as coal, to reduce particle sizes. Smaller particles ensure rapid and complete combustion, leading to low carbon emissions. Traditionally, the resulting particle size distributions from pulverizers have been determined by empirical or semi-empirical approaches that rely on extensive data gathered over several decades during operations or experiments, with limited predictive capabilities for new coals and processes. This work presents a Discrete Element Method (DEM)-based computational approach to model coal particle breakage with experimentally characterized coal physical properties. The effect of select operating parameters on the breakage behavior of coal particles is also examined.

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