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ARS Home » Plains Area » Manhattan, Kansas » Center for Grain and Animal Health Research » Stored Product Insect and Engineering Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #308990
Title: Applications of discrete element method in modeling of grain postharvest operations

Author
item BOAC, JOSEPHINE - Kansas State University
item AMBROSE, R.P.KINGSLY - Kansas State University
item Casada, Mark
item MAGHIRANG, RONALDO - Kansas State University
item MAIER, DIRK - Kansas State University

Submitted to: Food Engineering Reviews
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/8/2014
Publication Date: 8/8/2014
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/60919
Citation: Boac, J.M., Ambrose, R., Casada, M.E., Maghirang, R.G., Maier, D.E. 2014. Applications of discrete element method in modeling of grain postharvest operations. Food Engineering Reviews. 6(4):128-149. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12393-014-9090-y.

Interpretive Summary: Grain kernels are finite and discrete materials and processes involving flow of these particles cannot usually be adequately modeled with traditional, continuum-based computer models. The more recently developed discrete element method (DEM) has been demonstrated to effectively model discrete particles like grain kernels by predicting the motion of individual kernels. This benefit has recently led to DEM being used to model grain postharvest operations, but it has not been applied widely. Published literature that uses DEM to simulate postharvest processing was reviewed, as were applications in handling and processing of grain such as soybeans, corn, wheat, rice, rapeseed, and the grain coproduct distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). This literature indicates that DEM is a promising approach in the study of the behavior of particles such as grain and grain coproducts during processing, and it could benefit from the development of improved particle models for these complex-shaped particles. Researchers can develop the missing particle models to use in DEM models to improve the quality and efficiency of many grain processing operations.

Technical Abstract: Grain kernels are finite and discrete materials. Although flowing grain can behave like a continuum fluid at times, the discontinuous behavior exhibited by grain kernels cannot be simulated solely with conventional continuum-based computer modeling such as finite-element or finite-difference methods. The discrete element method (DEM) is a proven numerical method that can model discrete particles like grain kernels by tracking the motion of individual particles. DEM has been used extensively in the field of rock mechanics. Its application is gaining popularity in grain postharvest operations, but it has not been applied widely. This paper reviews existing applications of DEM in grain postharvest operations. Published literature that uses DEM to simulate postharvest processing is reviewed, as are applications in handling and processing of grain such as soybean, corn, wheat, rice, rapeseed, and the grain coproduct distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Simulations of grain drying that involve particles in both free-flowing and confined-flow conditions are also included. Review of the existing literature indicates that DEM is a promising approach in the study of the behavior of deformable soft particulates such as grain and coproducts, and it could benefit from the development of improved particle models for these complex-shaped particles.