An investigation and optimization of the ‘OLDS’ elevator using Discrete Element Modeling

The OLDS elevator is an Australian designed variant of a screw conveyor in which the screw flight remains stationary and the casing rotates. This device potentially offers several advantages over a screw elevator, though due to its recent conception, there is a significant amount about its operation that is not fully understood. This paper presents both DEM simulation results and laboratory data gained in a program designed to improve our understanding of the particle flow within the OLDS elevator.