Study on Segregation and Heat Transfer of Polydisperse Particles in a Three-Dimensional Rotating Drum by Using the DEM

The segregation and heat transfer of polydisperse particles in the rotating drum have an important impact on many industrial fields, and the theory is not completely clear. Based on the verified discrete element method model, the segregation and heat transfer of polydisperse particles in the rotating drum indirectly heated by the side wall are studied. The results show that the polydisperse particles form the segregation structure of the radial core and axial band in the rolling regime rotating drum. The comparison with monodisperse particles indicates that the heat transfer of polydisperse particles is influenced by the segregation structure. Small changes in rotation speed and filling level in the rolling regime do not alter the particle segregation and heat transfer structure. The addition of lifters is an effective means to reduce particle segregation and improve the heat transfer effect. This work provides a reference for revealing the segregation and heat transfer theory of polydisperse particles in the rotating drum.