Assessment of a tomography-informed polyhedral discrete element modelling approach for complex-shaped granular woody biomass in stress consolidation

Xia, Yidong; Chen, Feiyang; Klinger, Jordan L; Kane, Joshua; Bhattacharjee, Tiasha; Seifert, Robert; Ajayi, Oyelayo; Chen, Qiushi

doi:10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2021.03.007

Assessment of a tomography-informed polyhedral discrete element modelling approach for complex-shaped granular woody biomass in stress consolidation

Journal Article · Sat May 01 04:00:00 EDT 2021 · Biosystem Engineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2021.03.007· OSTI ID:1840572

Xia, Yidong; Chen, Feiyang; Klinger, Jordan L; Kane, Joshua; Bhattacharjee, Tiasha; Seifert, Robert; Ajayi, Oyelayo; Chen, Qiushi

The design of handling equipment for granular biomass primarily requires experiments. Discrete element models (DEM) can provide designers with detailed insight into the behaviour of granular materials. However, granular biomass comprising complex-shaped particles is difficult to model with DEM. A tomography-informed DEM approach and an exhaustive assessment of the ability of the approach to predict the bulk behaviour of milled pines using experimental data is presented. Nano-CT scan was conducted to obtain 3D particle surface geometries as the basis for particle shape approximation by a polyhedral model and a sphero-polyhedral model. These models were applied in the simulation of a compressibility test. Our parametric study showed that particle Young's modulus and restitution coefficient are the two main properties influencing the simulated bulk behaviour of the DEM particles and that the level of approximating DEM particle shape for real particles is critical for accurately replicating the bulk behaviour of milled pines. The polyhedral model demonstrated better suitability than its sphero-polyhedral counterpart for modelling pine particles. The polyhedral model calibrated in a compressibility test was then applied in the simulations of a friction test without additional parameter tuning. Interlocking was dominant in the shear of bulk pine particles. Remarkably, the polyhedral model predicted the frictional behaviour of the pine particles when compared to the experimental results. The limitations of the model, as well as possible ways for enhancement, are discussed. This work provided novel insights into the suitability of complex-shaped DEM models for granular woody biomass.

Research Organization:: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) - Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)

DOE Contract Number:: AC02-06CH11357

OSTI ID:: 1840572

Journal Information:: Biosystem Engineering, Journal Name: Biosystem Engineering Vol. 205

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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