Single-blade convective powder mixing: The effect of the blade shape and angle

The objective of this work was to investigate and optimize some of the parameters on which granular flows depend. For this purpose monodisperse particles of two sizes were used: all particles were 10 mm (or 2 mm) and half were red and half blue while half of the simulations were performed with 10 mm particles and half with 2 mm particles. For the first time*, the effects of a blade shape were investigated using the Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations. Three blade shapes were investigated, i.e., concave, convex and straight. Similarly, for the first time the DEM method was used to study the blade force on various sections of the blade (i.e., bottom, middle and top). Mixing performance with respect to the blade shape and blade-rake angle was investigated using Modified Generalized Mean Mixing Index (MGMMI). A wide range of angles, i.e., 40°, 50°, 60°, 70°, 80°, 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, 130°, 135°, 140° and 150° was used. In addition, velocity profiles for all cases and the effects of blade shape and blade-rake angle on interparticle contact forces were studied as well.