Abstract:

In order to study the dynamic characteristics of the granular flow on horizontal turn during material conveyance and the action mechanism of the material granule on the conveger belt, a discrete element model was built for the horizontal turn conveyance by the nonlinear Hertz Mimdlin contact model based on the theory of discrete element method. By simulating the average speed of the tested granule at different belt angular velocities, a set of numerical values close to the calculated tangential speed of the middle of the conveyer belt were obtained, it showed that the introduced contact model and the physical parameters of the material are correct. The dynamic characteristics of 2 groups of granule element under 4 rolling friction factors were investigated. It was found that the average speed of the granule is irrelevant to the granule element and the rolling friction factor. The effects of the granule flow rate and its distribution on the lateral pressure distribution on the outside wall of the conveyer belt were simulated under the belt acceleration, and the results showed that the average lateral pressure increases along with the belt speed, and the maximal pressure sharply increases nonlinerly.

Key words: engineering mechanics, horizontal turn, granular flow, discrete element method, simulation