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Particle Technology and Fluidization

Numerical study of mixing and thermal conduction of granular particles in rotating tumblers

  1. Nan Gui1,2,*,
  2. Jinsen Gao1,*,
  3. Zhongli Ji2

Article first published online: 24 JAN 2013

DOI: 10.1002/aic.13999

Issue

AIChE Journal

AIChE Journal

Volume 59, Issue 6, pages 1906–1918, June 2013

Additional Information

How to Cite

Gui, N., Gao, J. and Ji, Z. (2013), Numerical study of mixing and thermal conduction of granular particles in rotating tumblers. AIChE J., 59: 1906–1918. doi: 10.1002/aic.13999

Author Information

  1. 1

    State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, P.R. China

  2. 2

    College of Mechanical and Transportation Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, P.R. China

*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to J. Gao at jsgao@cup.edu.cn and N. Gui at zjuguinan@zju.edu.cn.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 21 MAY 2013
  2. Article first published online: 24 JAN 2013
  3. Accepted manuscript online: 21 DEC 2012 02:07PM EST
  4. Manuscript Revised: 7 DEC 2012
  5. Manuscript Received: 21 DEC 2011

Funded by

  • National Natural Science Foundation of China. Grant Number: 51106180
  • China University of Petroleum, Beijing. Grant Number: BJ-2010-03

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Keywords:

  • rotating tumbler;
  • mixing;
  • granular particle;
  • thermal conduction;
  • discrete element method;
  • information entropy

A discrete element method (DEM) study is conducted to investigate the mixing and heat-transfer characteristics of steel spherical particles under various rotation speeds and flow regimes of a rotating tumbler. The mixing degree, weighted temperature, temperature discrepancy at the mixing interface, temperature radial distribution, and information entropy are used to analyze the effect of mixing structure and evolution duration on the heat-transfer characteristics. The results under the same revolution and the same evolution time are compared to show the effects of evolution time and mixing structure on thermal conduction. After a detailed analysis, the joint contribution of mixing degree and duration to granular heat transfer is explained, and the different approaches in static thermal conduction and dynamic mixing are shown. Moreover, a new method is proposed using the mean increase rate of temperature information entropy to determine the most effective operating condition for thermal conduction in granular particles. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 1906–1918, 2013

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