Recent progress on the discrete element method simulations for powder transport systems: A review

Powder transport systems are ubiquitous in various industries, where they can encounter single powder flow, two-phase flow with solids carried by gas or liquid, and gas-solid-liquid three-phase flow. System geometry, operating conditions, and particle properties have significant impacts on the flow behavior, making it difficult to achieve good transportation of granular materials. Compared to experimental trials and theoretical studies, the numerical approach provides unparalleled advantages over the investigation and prediction of detailed flow behavior, of which the discrete element method (DEM) can precisely cap-ture complex particle-scale information and attract a plethora of research interests. This is the first study to review recent progress in the DEM and coupled DEM with computational fluid dynamics for extensive powder transport systems, including single-particle, gas-solid/solid-liquid, and gas-solid-liquid flows. Some important aspects (i.e., powder electrification during pneumatic conveying, pipe bend erosion, non-spherical particle transport) that have not been well summarized previously are given special atten-tion, as is the application in some new-rising fields (ocean mining, hydraulic fracturing, and gas/oil pro-duction). Studies involving important large-scale computation methods, such as the coarse grained DEM, graphical processing unit-based technique, and periodic boundary condition, are also introduced to pro-vide insight for industrial application. This review study conducts a comprehensive survey of the DEM studies in powder transport systems.(c) 2022 The Society of Powder Technology Japan. Published by Elsevier BV and The Society of Powder Technology Japan. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Powder transport systems are widely used in various industries and are influenced by system geometry, operating conditions, and particle properties. The discrete element method (DEM) provides detailed particle-scale information and has attracted research interests. This study reviews recent progress in DEM and coupled DEM with computational fluid dynamics for powder transport systems, covering single-particle, gas-solid/solid-liquid, and gas-solid-liquid flows. Special attention is given to important aspects and emerging applications that have not been well summarized before.