Pre-Study – Hybrid Particle Breakage Model in DEM

Purpose and goal
Crushing and milling of rock is estimated to account for 1–2% of global energy consumption. Virtual testing environments of processes for decomposition, classification and separation of ore and minerals are essential for realising the necessary technology changes. The purpose is to develop a new dismantling model for discrete elementary (DEM) rock materials to enable energy and machine optimisation. The goal is to carry out a needs analysis, develop consortium for full-scale projects and develop the model concept from TRL 2 to TRL 4 with demonstration in the lab environment.

Structure and implementation
The project is implemented in four work packages: 1. Project Coordination, 2. Consortium Development, 3. Model Implementation and Validation, and 4. Crash Experiment for Validation. A team of mathematicians, physicists and programmers has been assembled for model implementation. Laboratory experiments in WP4 are carried out at Chalmers Cross Laboratory at the Department of Industrial and Materials Sciences. The model is implemented in FCC’s DEM software platform, enabling future commercialisation and spread according to a well-established framework at the FCC.

Expected results
DEM is a method of analysis of particle systems. In cases where particles are crushed, such as in crushers, existing breakage models have fundamental flaws that make them not scalable from lab environments to industrial environments. Today, the choice is between simulating many low resolution particles, or simulating few well-resolved particles. A new hybrid model has been formulated that enables simulation of a large number of particles with proper breakage behaviour. This in turn gives you the opportunity to optimally optimise existing ones as well as develop brand new machine concepts.