Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study of Corn Straw Grinding Process Based on Computational Fluid Dynamics–Discrete Element Method

Xin Wang, Haiqing Tian (), Ziqing Xiao, Kai Zhao, Dapeng Li and Di Wang
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Xin Wang: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010010, China
Haiqing Tian: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010010, China
Ziqing Xiao: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010010, China
Kai Zhao: College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010010, China
Dapeng Li: Changzhou College of Information Technology, Changzhou 213164, China
Di Wang: Changzhou Vocational Institute of Mechatronic Technology, Changzhou 213164, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 2, 1-19

Abstract: To improve the operational efficiency of a hammer mill and delve into a high-efficiency, energy-saving grinding mechanism, the crucial parameters influencing the grinding of corn straw were identified as the spindle speed, hammer–sieve gap, and sieve pore diameter. According to the force analysis and kinematics analysis, the key factors affecting corn straw grinding were the spindle speed, the hammer–sieve gap, and the sieve pore diameter. The grinding process of corn straw was studied using computational fluid dynamics (CFDs) and the discrete element method (DEM) gas–solid coupling numerical simulation and experiment. The numerical simulation results showed that with the growth of time, the higher the spindle speed, the faster the bonds broke in each part, and the higher the grinding efficiency. When the energy loss of the hammer component was in the range of 985.6~1312.2 J, and the total collision force of the corn straw was greater than 47,032.5 N, the straw grinding effect was better, and the per kW·h yield was higher. The experimental results showed that the optimum combination of operating parameters was a spindle speed of 2625 r/min, a hammer-screen gap of 14 mm, and a sieve pore diameter of 8 mm. Finally, the CFD–DEM gas–solid coupling numerical simulation validation tests were performed based on the optimal combination of the operating parameters. The results showed that the energy loss of the hammer component was 1189.5 J, and the total collision force of the corn straw was 49,523.5 N, both of which were within the range of better results in terms of numerical simulation. Thus, the CFD–DEM gas–solid coupling numerical simulation could accurately predict the corn straw grinding process. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving a hammer mill’s key components and grinding performance. Meanwhile, the proposed gas–solid two-phase flow method provided theoretical references for other research in agricultural machinery.

Keywords: corn straw; hammer mill; gas–solid coupling numerical simulation; grinding performance test (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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