Comparison between the Eulerian (CFD) and the Lagrangian (DEM) approaches in the simulation of a flighted rotary drum

The particle dynamics in a flighted rotary drum operated with different numbers of flights and under different operating conditions was simulated by using both the Eulerian (computational fluid dynamics, CFD) and the Lagrangian (discrete element method, DEM) approaches. The simulated solid holdups in the flights as a function of the flights’ tip angular position were compared with experimental data. A systematic analysis of the computational demands of each approach was performed, as well as the impact of reducing the particle shear modulus in DEM simulations. Furthermore, the influence of the turbulence phenomenon on the particle behavior predicted by CFD simulations was also assessed. The choice of an appropriate numerical approach proved to be of great importance in the accuracy of particle dynamics prediction in a flighted rotary drum.