A DEM study on post agglomeration drying and particle transport in a rotating drum dryer

In this study, an indirectly heated drum dryer is investigated using Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations, supported by experimental observations. Preliminary experiments show that increasing the number of flights leads to a higher fraction of fines, accompanied by lower bulk density and reduced moisture content of the final product. The DEM simulations are linked to the experimental results to provide micromechanical insight into the influence of design and operating parameters on product characteristics. Shear stress, thermal, and mixing/segregation analyses are performed that enable a mechanistic interpretation of the observed variations in product properties. The simulations are consistent with the experimental trends and allow to further explore the parametric space of dryers with larger number of flights and two fill levels.